


The White Witch of Kiara Station

by Luigi2001



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 01:27:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 25
Words: 78,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30047814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luigi2001/pseuds/Luigi2001
Summary: Narek is out of Federation prison and the Tal Shiar is targeting a mysterious composer.  La Serina races to intercede while Narek discovers her dark secret.  Who can be trusted when everyone is hiding something?
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter One

“How did this happen, Will?” While Picard was astounded at the news his friend was conveying, he had to keep in mind that Will was just the messenger. 

“Short story? Someone wanted him out,” Riker was confused too. It was unusual for the Romulans to acknowledge a spy, let alone advocate for one. Usually, Romulans committed suicide when caught.“They made the case that Soji was a spy and Narek was acting in his official capacity as an operative of the Romulan government.” 

“Which government?” Picard asked sarcastically. Several factions had developed since the supernova. “Soji was collecting information about an imminent threat to her people.” Picard knew there was no point in arguing. Narek had already been released. He just needed to process the implications before passing the information along to Soji. 

“She was on the Artifact for several years, Jean-Luc,” Riker’s voice was tired, “It’s hard to prove an imminent threat for that long.” He agreed with his friend, but the Romulans had played their cards right. 

“Coppelius is a Protectorate!” 

“The Romulans conceded that,” Riker said, “Actually that strengthens their position a bit since she can’t claim to be an independent actor if Coppelius is a state.” 

“Hump,” Picard dismissed. 

“Oh, it gets better,” Ricker shook his head and mustered his most official voice he could, “They contend that since the Artifact was under Romulan control, Soji violated their territorial integrity to obtain sensitive information of significant financial and strategic value to Romulan interests in violation of Romulan Law and The Treaty of Algeron.” Picard made a motion as if he were going to speak. Still, Riker raised his hand, “AND since Soji was acting as a representative of the Federation for the Borg Reclamation Project they are accusing the Federation of sponsoring her.” 

“Did they say anything about the wanton destruction of Utopia Planitia? The tens of thousands of lives lost?” 

“They have gone on record stating that the Zhat Vash was a small fringe group of radicals that acted independently of the Romulan government. Furthermore, they agreed to extradite any Zhat Vash involved.” That concession had puzzled everyone. Not that anyone believed that an actual Zhat Vash operative was going to be extradited, it was just unbelievable that the Romulan government acknowledged the secret cabal. 

“Wasn’t Narek, Zhat Vash?” 

“They say he was an intelligence agent who was dispatched to the Artifact to investigate data breaches,” Riker didn’t envy his friend. Telling Soji that Narek was free would be hard. He had hurt the synth badly. Hard too since the Copellious synths never found the body of Narissa on the Artifact, so to Soji, it would seem like no one was being made to pay for what happened to her and her people. Ryker understood her frustration. The synth ban had cost him his son, but he understood that sometimes bad things happen. He could blame the Romulans for the synth ban but Federation politicians that had passed it. They decided so quickly, with hardly any investigation. The Federation did not give the matter due diligence. It was a knee jerk reaction to end an unpopular commitment. Assigning blame would take a lifetime, and he had a wife and daughter to live for. 

***

Narek was ambivalent when he learned that he was going home. It was unheard of for the Romulan government to acknowledge an operative, let alone advocate for one. After some thought, he decided it was good news; he’d rather be executed quickly by his own people than die the death of a thousand yawns among strangers. He had not been mistreated in any way, by Romulan standards, the Federation detention facilities were gracious, and the staff was accommodating. They employed a little psychology but no beatings. Narek hadn’t broken, but it was getting close. If he was honest with himself, and Narek valued self candor, he had to admit that the idea of cooperation was creeping into his brain. He began to entertain the idea that maybe he could find a way to continue his mission under the guise of a Romulan defector. The mission had cost him his family, and his freedom was the only thing he had left. 

Then he got the news. Either someone wanted something from him, or he was going to be executed. The debriefing would logically have been the time to kill him, but he had survived. It hadn’t been pleasant, and the memory of it occasionally haunted his dreams, but now he found himself on a listening station intercepting communications from the Federation and its allies. He had hoped that he’d be assigned to monitor Coppelius, but this was not his to be. Narek bristled at the irony. He had found Seb-Cheneb, and his reward had been exile. He blamed Narissa. Narissa’s bungling of the operations on earth had alerted Picard to the existence of the synthetics. He thought too of Soji. Maddox had been smart to model the synth after a painting that Data had done of his daughter. Picard would need to help her out of guilt for the sacrifice that Data had made in saving his life. The ploy was practically Romulan in its delicacy. 

Soji was a wicked creation! Maddox had programmed her to be likable to set people at ease, or even get them to cooperate with her as she collected intelligence. During the operation, he had uncovered thousands of data breaches that were attributable to her. From the scope and depth of information she gathered, it was difficult to discern just what her mission parameters had been; she accessed so much about them. Some information she took was strategic, such as the location of the Borg conduits. Some seemed random, as if she were just curious. She was insidious, and Maddox had programmed her to be lovable. Narek knew he would have loved her had she been real. At times when the reality of her existence blurred in his mind, he knew loved her. 

He discovered that Narrisa had used a personal transporter to save her hide after losing the fight with the XB. While she kept her head down, he had done all he could to destroy or delay the construction of the beacon until the Romulan fleet arrived. When it finally did, she beamed herself onto one of the warships. Even the best shields had vulnerabilities, and Narrisa had exploited one to save herself. He wondered if she had even thought of him! Narissa had had the nerve to be there to greet him when he arrived at the listening station. 

“Elev!” Narissa pressed her body against his in a way that was not lost on Narek. He resisted the urge to reach for her throat and disengaged himself. She sniffed at his reaction, “Brother, you take too much to heart.” 

He did agree to take a meal with her only to learn of the mission’s status but found that there appeared to be no mission. At least if there were, Narissa was not privy to details. Narissa’s life hadn’t been easy since Coppelius Station. She had been stripped of her rank, assigned to low priority operations, yet had not been ejected from the Zhat Vash, which confounded Narek since he’d been cut loose for less. At least her new rank meant that she did not have unfettered access to his quarters, giving Narek a choice as to whether or not he would interact with her. Right now, he chose not to.

Narek had been conscious of a blonde Southerner studying the exchanges between brother and sister during their meal. He did not have to wonder long about the identity of the man. He approached once Narissa had left.

“Narek,” the southerner was soft-spoken and matter-of-fact, “Shaoi ben, I am Ni’ael.”

“Shaoi kon,” Narek gave the expected reply to a superior. It seemed safe to assume everyone was a superior now. Ni’ael nodded, seemingly pleased with his manners, so Narek asked, “Are you my benefactor?” 

“Dhat,” No, Niall wasn’t responsible for his release, although he did work for the one who was responsible. Ni’ael walked with him to his quarters. 

“You like puzzles,” it wasn’t a question, and Ni'ael did not wait for an answer or acknowledgment. He had been carrying a portfolio under his arm, which he tossed on the desk in the simple quarters. “Have a look.” Narek opened the portfolio, revealing a curiously folded paper square about his palm’s size and several fingers thick. He picked it up, turned it over. It was a high-quality paper. “When you get it open, let me know. Don’t damage the drawing.” No other explanation. Ni’ael turned and left. 

It had taken longer than Narek would have liked to figure out the intricate folds which he worked on between shifts. Every time he thought he had it, the paper threatened to rip. When he did finally solve the puzzle, he was almost embarrassed. It was so simple. He smoothed the drawing carefully, then stood back to examine the scene. It depicted naked headless humanoid bodies hanging upside down in what looked like a small office. Someone had gutted the bodies leaving the entrails hanging from the open cavity. The use of color and perspective evoked a visceral reaction. Narek managed to suppress the urge to vomit. He poured himself some kali-fal. Then he poured himself another. He splashed water on his face and contacted Ni’ael. He didn’t expect an explanation or further information on the drawing and wasn’t disappointed. Ni’ael told him that someone would retrieve the picture. When Narek returned from his shift the next evening, the drawing was gone. He honestly was glad to be rid of the ghastly rendering. 

A month passed before Ni’ael contacted him again. A federation journalist had petitioned the Romulan government for an interview with Narek. It was a bold request that would have been dismissed out of hand except for who the journalist was. Missy O’Dare was the youngest daughter of Liam and Muriel O’Dare. Liam was the station master at Kiara Colony, and her mother was the leader of a religious sect that was popular in the Kiara colony. The pair had ten children ages 19-35. Their youngest offspring, Missy, was a budding journalist whose breakthrough article accusing Maddox and Starfleet had suppressed how deadly Lore, the first sentient Soong-type android, had been. The goal was to protect Data’s career in Starfleet and keep Bruce Maddox’s dream of creating more life forms like Data alive. 

Officers who had served with Data had written op-ed rebuttals lauding Data’s character and unique perception of the universe. Missy countered with a series of articles about the families who had been devastated by Lore’s actions. She seemed to have an almost Zhat Vash obsession with discrediting synthetic life. The public reaction to Missy’s articles spotlighted that many Federation citizens were not embracing synthetics with the same zeal as before the Mars attack, even in the outer colonies that suffered from chronic labor shortages. In one of her articles, Missy proposed step by step instructions of how Romulan operatives might have reprogramed the Mars synths. She made it seem easy. Narek had studied synthetic life, in theory, most of his adult life. He believed that Missy’s recipe for highjacking synthetic programming was plausible. 

Ni’ael wanted him to do the interview if only to find out more about the young woman. They had been trying to decrypt her files but had so far been unsuccessful. “She’s a smart girl. Too smart “ had been Ni’ael’s assessment. Narek felt hope that he was somehow back on mission. He would meet Missy at Kiara Colony. Kiara Colony! That was a name out of his past. Narek was nearly marooned there before the supernova. 

“You’ve been to the colony before,” Ni’ael’s hologram commented as Narek reviewed the mission parameters that had been loaded to a handheld and left on his desk in his quarters. Ni’ael was already on site. Narek would have to get passage on a freighter that made regular runs through Kiara Station. “You’ve met the stationmaster, I believe?”

“Years ago,” Narek replied. The Tal Shiar had kept better records in the chaos of the evacuation than he had imagined. He felt a strange reluctance to discuss the incident. “I wasn’t there long,” Narek considered his words. How much information did he want to share? He didn’t want to talk about the little albino girl, a Vulcan hybrid, although he didn’t quite understand why. “Because it is unbelievable?” his mind offered. 

“The station master is Missy’s father,” Ni’ael always spoke in a modulated tone. It was difficult to tell what the man was looking for in the conversation. He had a sinking feeling that if they knew he had been to the colony, they knew about the Vulcan hybrid and the part she had played. The part he’d played. 

“I didn’t actually speak with him,” Narek decided to be vague. The albino was probably dead anyway. Vulcan-Betazoid hybrids rarely thrived. Never thrived, he corrected himself. Somehow the idea that the albino was long dead was both saddening and comforting. “His wife brought us cookies,” Narek smiled. Regardless of the source, the cookies had been a welcome change from the low energy replicator rations. 

“Why would she do that?” 

“I don’t know.” He wanted to change the subject. While he was grateful to have an ally, he couldn’t mention the albino. As if Ni’ael sensed the boundary, he didn’t pursue more information. Narek felt that this had been some sort of test, but he wasn’t sure if he had passed or not. If he hadn’t, he’d find out soon enough, he figured. He allowed himself to feel some hope. He was eager to prove himself to his new superiors. 

The colony was busy. From the mission briefing, Narek learned that the Fisher family had brought in the Romulans four years prior because Federation miners (mostly humans and human hybrids) had refused to return to work after a collapse killed two and trapped ten of them underground for three days. The official report blamed the mine's infrastructure but when Narek reviewed the records he found the mine had a history of freak accidents. Instead of negotiating with his neighbors in the settlement, Erick Fisher hired Romulans. This was before the revelation that the Zaht Vash destroyed the shipyards on Mars. It was an unusual arrangement. One that was strangely favorable to the human. Most Romulans would baulk at working for a human yet there were fifty miners and their families on Kiara. The majority of the old miners had moved on, but a handful still picketed the mine daily. The Romulans had to pass them at the beginning of each shift, which had been problematic at first. Now the two sides had settled into a routine of competing trash talk. It seemed that the Federation settlers enjoyed sarcastic wordplay as much as Romulans.

The mine proved to be no safer for the Romulans than it had been for Federation workers. There had been injuries but no casualties. With the lifting of the Synth ban, Fisher hoped to bring in a workforce of synthetics. He reasoned if only a few people in the settlement cared when Romulans got injured, no one would care if a synthetic was destroyed. Fisher hadn’t figured on Missy and the organizational abilities of her mother’s church. The church took the position that creating life forms for servitude was morally corrupt, going as far as to organize protests and prayer vigils. The O’Dare’s were as influential on the colony as the Fishers, although they were more likable. 

On the freighter, he found himself ruminating about his experience with the albino. Little B, her brother had called her. It was unusual for Vulcans, even young ones, to use diminutive nicknames or nicknames at all. The stationmaster had called her Enid and claimed that his youngest daughter was obsessed with the little girl. “My Missy has declared herself to be Enid’s best friend whether the little girl wants one or not,” he joked. Narek’s aunt, Ramdha, had claimed that the girl was a Gi’halidrl or at least possessed by one and that Narek, having attracted the attention of a Gi’halidrl, was blessed for life. Narek knew his aunt’s mind was bent, but he did keep the token that the girl gave him. He wore it around his neck at times. It wasn’t too far into the trip when he learned that Enid was still very much alive and still very much a mystery. 

“Can you look at something?” a crewman took the seat opposite Narek in the mess hall. It was presumptuous and would have never happened on a Romulan ship. The man held a deck of pimix cards, “What does this card mean?” The crewman slid the triangle card towards Narek. It depicted a pale but beautiful woman holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. On the shield was a Romulan dove. 

“It’s a Gi’halidrl,” he replied, aware that he was immediately on edge. “Why?” he asked. Was it a coincidence that Narek was thinking of the albino just as he was presented with a picture of a Gi’hlidrl? 

“Tom is making an offering to the White Witch of Kiara Station,” a nearby crewman boomed, slapping Narek on the back and taking a seat next to him. The close quarters and apparent familiarity of the crew were tiresome. 

“Shove-off, Alan!” Tom attempted to wave the man away but managed to draw more crew members to their table. 

“Who is the White Witch?” Narek asked, dreading the answer. The White Witch was a topic that the crew discussed often. 

Tom rolled his eyes, “They are being dramatic. She’s just a kid who likes to hang out at the station. She’s an albino Vulcan.” 

“She can hear your soul,” someone offered, “If she likes the sound, she’ll write you in her notebook,” Tom explained that Enid was a composer. Narek remembered Enid’s brother had called her a musical prodigy. The stationmaster shared that the girl had been a born telepath, a condition Betazoids considered a developmental disability, so she didn’t speak. However, Narek knew she could; it just took tremendous effort. 

“So why would you bring her gifts?” he asked Tom directly. Tom told him a story of his encounter with the albino. It had been eight years ago when his first wife was pregnant with his oldest daughter. The pregnancy was riddled with problems and Tom had been desperate to get home. He was desolate when he learned that they had to wait at Kiara Station because the shipment they were supposed to intercept had been delayed for two days.

“They have a really nice park across from that church of theirs,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep and went there just to think.” The man bit back his emotion, “I sat on a bench and stared at the stars. It was early, still dark, and the little girl just came and sat on the bench. What the hell was she doing out at that time I wondered? She didn’t look at me but took my hand.” He told Narek about the vision he experienced. She showed him his daughter throughout her life. He saw what a beautiful and strong woman his daughter would become. She showed him his grandchildren. “I was so heartened by the vision that it was several days before I realized that my wife had not been in any of it.” Tom wiped away a tear. “Some people think the albino is simple but she knew my wife was going to die. She knew but didn’t show me that. She showed me what I needed to see to move on with my life. If she hadn’t I’m sure I would have been consumed by grief.” 

Narek was touched and stunned. Tom continued, “Every so often I like to bring the girl something. She seems to like all things Romulan. Probably on account of the supernova. This caught my eye but I wanted to make sure that it didn’t depict a demon or something disturbing, are these Gi’halidrl’s good?” 

“Yes, Gi’halidrl are generally good,” Narek assured him, “At least if they favor you.” Romulan deities could be rather fickle though. The man was relieved and placed the cards back into their pouch. Narek asked, “How did the supernova affect her?” 

“Telepathically. Rumor is that she got desperately ill,” Tom frowned, “Seizures, I think. They say she almost died.” 

“Why do people think she’s simple?” Narek continued to collect information. 

“She doesn’t talk, read, or write...she’s got a right nice voice though, heard her sing in a pub one time. Like an angel.”

“So how do you get in touch with her? To give her your gift.” 

Tom leaned in close, “She doesn’t read but she loves to eavesdrop on a good story,” he whispered, “By the time I finish the story, I usually know where to put it.”

Narek didn’t know how to take the news that Enid was alive. He dismissed the idea that she felt the supernova as a coincidence. It was likely that she experienced complications related to her unique physiology. If she had been affected by the supernova, what sort of effect would that have on a young child? And what did Tom mean about listening in on stories? Most of all he was concerned that if the girl were still friends with Missy, she would be involved in his work. He didn’t like that. It was never a good thing to be involved in a Tal Shiar investigation even on the periphery. 

***

Lately, Fisher had to concede that Romulans were not the answer to his labor needs. Looking back, he thought the terms of his arrangement with the Romulans had been too favorable. He suspected that his workforce included several Tal Shiar officers and the Romulans had an ulterior motive. Bringing in the synthetics was proving to be more of a problem than he anticipated though. He slogged through the snow, past the protesters to his office. Inside the blonde Romulan sat behind his desk. “Pointy eared son of a bitch!” he thought. 

“What can I do for you today, Ni’ael?” Fisher asked, tightly. 

“For starters,” Ni’ael smiled pleasantly, “you can uphold your commitments.” 

“Production is down,” Fisher countered, “Your workforce is not living up to expectations.” Fisher rounded the corner of his desk expecting that Ni’ael would move. 

“Synths are not an acceptable answer.” Ni’ael did not relinquish his seat. “Your mine is outdated. You can’t afford to modernize. Sell. Retire. Our dealings with you have always been favorable.”

“This is a Federation colony, Romulans don’t dictate to me.” It was a brave statement made only possible because of the security guards that stood ready outside his office. Fisher suspected that Ni’ael would take more than a few security guards to subdue so he had begun keeping a complement of at least six with him at all times as well as a phaser on his person. 

“I am merely suggesting an amicable way out of this for you, friend,” Ni’ael stood, “You are facing protests from your own people and litigation for a breach of contract from your Romulan workers.” Ni’ael offered Fisher his seat. “Surely this business is becoming as tiresome as the winter’s snow.” 

“Spring is around the corner,” Fisher took his seat, “As always, good talking to you.” He was glad that the blonde Romulan left without further comment.


	2. Chapter 2

Narek stood at the Romulan/Federation checkpoint across from the diner. He decided to scope out the terrain before meeting Missy the next day for the interview. It was snowing heavily and Narek sprinted across the street with his head slightly down, shielding his eyes from the large sticky flakes. The diner was on a corner and had an awning that wrapped around the sides of the building. The door opened directly on the corner. Under the awning, Narek wiped the snow from his hair and checked his appearance in the window. Satisfied, he walked to the door. The diner wasn’t open quite yet. He saw the waitress setting up for morning service. The waitress was Romulan, a Northerner, and he guessed she was middle-aged. He looked down the street. A lone figure shuffled towards him. The figure was obscured by the tall stack of boxes it was carrying so Narek couldn’t make out if it was male or female. It stopped wordlessly in front of the diner’s door. The waitress waived and ran out. 

“Hey!” the waitress said to Narek, “If you're coming in, grab one or two of those boxes.” Narek complied. The grey coat had a giant fur hood so even relieved of the boxes, all he could see was the condensation of the person’s breath. The waitress held open the door. “Wipe your boots and set those on the counter right there.” Narek was amused at the woman’s bossiness and complied. He wondered what she did pre nova? She was a handsome woman, not pretty but not unattractive. Her hair was dyed blonde and had dark roots. She had a no-nonsense air about her. Narek started to construct a possible back story in his mind. Military maybe? No, but she was used to being obeyed… How had the woman ended up serving food in a diner? 

The grey coat entered and the waitress took the other remaining boxes. There was something awkward about the exchange. The waitress was missing a hand, how had he missed that? As she balanced the boxes on her forearm, Narek averted his gaze bracing his expression to a disinterested smile. This explained why the woman was working for a hevam. The grey coat, from its style he assumed its occupant was female, dutifully stomped the snow from her purple boots without being reminded. She had her back to Narek who noticed the odd backpack the girl carried. It was tattered and had been often patched. Its main feature was a sequined image of an equine with wings and a horn. Narek had seen that pack before. The grey coat was the albino. He slid into a booth and stared at the menu. 

“She said thank you!” the waitress yelled from behind the counter. The boxes contained pastries, pies, and cakes. She secured each treasure in the display case to the right of the hostess counter. 

Narek looked up from the menu at the albino who touched her right hand just below her lips before extending it towards him. She was wearing an oversized pastel pink cable knit sweater, white leggings. Her white hair was captured in a pink headband and she wore pink dangle earrings. 

“You’re welcome,” Narek smiled stiffly as his eyes met hers. Did she recognize him? It had been fifteen years and she had been quite young so it was possible that she had no memory of the event. The albino’s deep violet eyes were difficult to disengage from and he was relieved when the girl turned and bounced into a seat at the counter. She tapped on the box that the waitress didn’t unpack yet. The box was decorated with a bright pink bow. 

“What’s this?” The waitress opened the box. Her expression was incredulous, “How, Enid?” 

The albino gestured a bit then cupped her hand over her ear and croaked, “Taste!” 

The waitress took a morsel from the box and tentatively took a bite. “By the Gods, it’s perfect!” Tears started to roll down her face as she took another bite, then another, “It’s perfect but how?” She put several on a plate and offered it to Narek. Narek recognized the special confection immediately but hesitated, “Go on, I imagine you haven’t tasted one in a while either.”

Narek took a bite, “remarkable,” he mumbled and greedily took another. If childhood had a taste, the albino had captured it. 

“Dream,” Enid chirped in a sing-song voice. She swayed slightly as she spoke and smiled broadly and played with her earrings. 

“You dreamt how to make these,” the waitress said slowly. “I don’t understand, it tastes so authentic but you couldn’t have had the ingredients.” The reply evidently required more words than Enid had access to so she fell back into the gestural language which evidently the waitress had learned. The waitress even pulled out her tablet and took some notes. Narek wished he spent less time hoping the albino was dead and more time preparing to interact with her. He could have used the two week trip to learn some Federation Standard Sign. “Self deception leads to vulnerability,” he chided himself. 

“Look.” Enid had placed the back pack on a stool next to her and now reached in to produce an artist notebook which she offered to the waitress. When she pulled the notebook from the pack a small square of paper fell out landing on the floor near Narek. He picked it up and examined it quickly before handing it back to the girl who gave him a quizzical look. It was intricately folded in a familiar manner. Enid wasn’t going to be on the periphery of this investigation. This was an unwelcome development.

“That woman reminds me of my grandmother,” The waitress commented warmly, “May I have it?” When Enid hesitated, “Please.” Enid considered the woman and looked at her notebook. She frowned as she slowly pulled the image and handed it to the waitress. The waitress performed the gesture for Thank you.

“No school?” a male voice came from the kitchen. 

“Exams!” Enid smiled widely cupping her ear. She was not deaf or hard of hearing but needed to hear her own thoughts over the music that was always with her. Enid was looking forward to the long weekend that was afforded to her and the other students in the vocational program so the campus was quiet for students taking midterm exams. 

“So you have no exams?” Narek could barely make out the cook from where he sat. Enid gestured dramatically...melodramatically it seemed to him. He guessed she was being sarcastic.

“I’m not translating that!” the waitress said sternly,“ placing a plate on the counter. She retrieved a sticky bun from the display case and plopped it on the counter in front of the girl, “self deprecating ryak'na.” The waitress turned to Narrek, “Have you made a decision?” she asked.

“I need a minute,” he mumbled. The menu had two sides, one side had only Romulan choices. Narek pondered if it was worth ordering classic Romulan breakfasts prepared by a human. 

Enid gestured more soberly, the waitress called, “She says that she took two tests last week, Federation basic history and Ethics for Telepaths.” 

“How did she do?” More gestures. Narek considered the difficulties of spying on someone who communicated in this way. 

“Well, she says she doesn’t have to take the history test again,” more gestures. The waitress chucked. “And she got an 86% on the ethics test.” 

“That’s great!” the voice from the kitchen boomed, “What was funny?” The waitress explained that Enid told her the ethics test had been true or false. Enid guessed that anything that sounded fun was unethical. Evidently there were some telepathic scenarios that didn’t sound fun but were unethical as well as an even smaller subset that were fun and ethical under the right circumstances. This was confusing for Enid who tended to prefer absolutes. 

From the exchanges between Enid and the waitress, Narek learned that Enid had a part time job at the bakery which included making the morning delivery. She also had a boyfriend named Rone who worked in the settlement's infirmary who she intended to marry when she was done with school. Rone’s father had been a Bajoran/Cardasian hybrid who was killed in the mine five years ago, his mother was human. Enid planned to spend the morning at the library. 

“Is listening to people read ethical?” Raelyn teased. Enid shrugged. More customers came in which ended the conversation. Enid finished her breakfast and left. Narek was pleasantly surprised at how well the human prepared Romulan cuisine. The waitress’s name was Raelyn and she was married to the cook whose name was Daniel Johnson. Raelyn offered the sweet cakes to the diner’s Romulan customers who all agreed that they were remarkable. 

Narek settled his tab and decided to explore the settlement. There were no restrictions on Romulan movements although he found few ventured farther into the settlement than the diner. The library was a clean quiet place with cheerful decor. It had an impressive collection of paper books for such a small settlement alongside the expected terminals and workstations. Enid slouched in a cozy overstuffed chair in the back of the building near a window. Narek decided to use the stacks as cover from which to observe the girl. She had chosen an oversized book, an atlas he discerned. She propped the book up so that it obscured her face as she sat low in her chair. He also noticed it was upside down. It was a clever subterfuge though, Narek decided. An observer wouldn’t question the illiterate girl looking at an atlas, even if she held it upside down. 

He wondered if he could capture her attention. Tom had said she liked a good story. His mind searched for the kind of tale that he thought would appeal to the young woman who still carried the same juvenile backpack that she had when she was four. He wondered if the plush animal still resided in it? Pulling out a handheld he brought up a Romulan creation myth. It was one that Rahmda had read to him many times as a child so he instinctively subvocalized in her voice. Narek enjoyed reading, his mind effortlessly conjuring up the familiar images of the story. Soon he became aware of a subtle change in his mind’s eye. Had he captured the albino’s attention? 

The girl appeared before he had even given thought to the hope, confirming a hypothesis he had been postulating. She was in his mind which gave him some control over her. She evidently realized this as well and spun wild eyed to run. He took hold of her arm, “I just want to talk!” he called out to her in his head. At least he hoped he hadn’t spoken out loud. She squirmed and pulled at her arm like a headstrong toddler, even dropping to the floor to increase her leverage which worked to pull him off balance. One twist of her arm and she broke free from his grasp causing him to stumble backwards a bit before he caught himself. She scuttled backwards on the floor till her back hit a wall then a corner. Hands on the wall, she pulled herself up without taking her eyes off Narek. She’s scared, she’s never been caught before! He looked around the room they were in. It was dim, there were no windows, the only light source being a lamp on a desk in the corner. Was this what his consciousness looked like? An interrogation room? 

“I wanted to talk,” he said slowly, “I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“Don’t listen to anything he says,” Soji appeared as she had on Coppelius, “Everything he says is a lie.” She froze. Narek studied the accusatory visage. 

“She was a spy!” he explained to Enid while pointing at the frozen Soji. “What happened between us was fair game!” It was true! he thought, Soji was the destroyer! 

The girl studied him. He’s arrogant but then most of the Romulans she met could be described in this way, even Raelyn for all she enjoyed the older woman’s company. He doesn't have a plan. It dawned on her that although she was caught, the man was also trapped. I’m more powerful than he is, she realized. 

“You are also a spy,” she said quietly. She wanted him to know that she saw him. 

“I prefer the term operative,” he hoped he appeared charming and contrite. Narek would normally deny this but he reasoned that this was futile if not dangerous in this case. Her posture relaxed. It was a subtle change that would have been missed by someone not trained to notice such things. “We’ve met before,” he continued, “Do you remember?” 

“No!” she glared at him. 

To Narek, her response was disproportionate Why? “Not surprising, you were quite young.” 

Enid could feel Papa had left the ruins for the day and was headed for the library. He couldn’t find her like this! She had to make him let her out. “My papa’s on his way,” she warned, “If he has to come in here, he’s really going to get cross.” Cross, hell the man would ground her for the rest of her life, she was sure. “He really hates Romulans. Let me out, now!”

“Hate? Not very Vulcan,” Narek commented ignoring the girl's command. He wanted to understand more about her, besides, he didn’t know how to let her out. Something had changed in the girl’s demeanor; she still regarded Narek as if he were a large spider to be dealt with but she was afraid of her father. He took her at her word that her father would be able to enter the interrogation room and didn’t imagine that would be a good thing. 

Enid was confused by his reticence and was running out of time. She would lose the whole long weekend if she were caught! She searched his memories looking for an image that she thought would scare him into compliance. She found a memory of Narissa. This was pretty raw, she decided and Soji was replaced by Narissa. 

Well played, Narek thought. He admired the girl’s shrewdness as there were dozens of memories concerning Narissa he did not want to revisit. His mind strategized about how to defend against this type of attack. Narek’s relationship with Narissa was filled with contradictions, she had been his protector as well as his exploiter. He had hoped that finding Seb Cheneb would convince his sister see him as an equal or at least to have redeemed him in her eyes, but she would never relinquish power to him. Still, he could conjure a pleasant memory… He found one, he and Narissa playing cards in Ramdha’s study. 

“Clever,” the girl commented, “Do you really want to play this way? I think I have more cards than you,” she said, proud of the pun. She studied this Romulan from her corner. She understood that he was very much aware of the onslaught she could unleash and had steeled himself to endure it. Inwardly she realized he’d come out of this contest badly bruised. When put to the test, she knew that she lacked the resolve to induce pain on another being so Enid decided on a different tactic. She knew what the most direct way of getting what she wanted was. Taking a deep breath, she covered her ears and let out a glorious scream. 

Her shriek took physical form in the small confines of the interrogation room. It reminded Narek of the gas that he had unleashed on Soji giving him a momentary insight into how the synth must have felt as she watched the vapor circle and envelope her. Soji had punched a whole in the floor to get away from it. He dropped to the floor and started punching. It broke apart more quickly than he anticipated exposing a blue sky. Enid quickly whisked past him to freedom before could even wonder why the sky was below the floor. 

The room was gone. Narek had to steady himself against the stacks. He watched as a tall Vulcan knelt shaking the limp Enid. She woke, raising her hand over her face. A defensive gesture, Narek thought. He assumed the Vulcan was her father, S’ril. Did the man mistreat Enid? And why does that thought make me angry? 

The Vulcan’s countenance and Enid’s posture told him that this was not the first time she had been caught in the act by S’ril. Head down, Enid held S’ril’s hand as she left with him which Narek thought, together with the difference in their heights, gave her the appearance of a small child. Tom had been right, the albino was not simple, she would not be easy to manipulate. 

He cleared his head and decided to do some research on the colony as long as he was there. The library was quaint. The settlement’s population had come this far from the center of the Federation to live simply and practice their religion. There were other settlements on the planet although not all had the same charter. There was vigorous trade between settlements and with other colonies. He found that many of the articles on the colony’s news service were written by Missy except for two past years when she had been offworld. The wall and checkpoint had been the idea of Enid’s father, S’ril. S’ril was an archeologist who had made his life’s work the study of the ruins outside the settlement. He also found that besides being a musical prodigy that Enid was a competitive gymnast with considerable talent although she hadn’t competed in almost two years. She did help coach the junior team. Had an injury sidelined her? It was a puzzle, she shouldn’t be alive yet she was and thriving. 

He discounted an injury. She won the settlements triathlon last year. The last leg of the race had been across a channel on the colony's western ocean. He pulled up an image of the girl as she emerged on the beach. The face of the girl he saw had her jaw set, eyes narrowed and lips pulled back in a grimace. Determined? No, angry, he thought, At what? Narek fiddled with something in his coat pocket and glanced out the window. It was getting dark.


	3. Chapter 3

“Sorry, Papa,” Enid said quietly as she half jogged along beside S’ril. 

“We’ve discussed this before,” S’ril was tired, he was worried, “It is unethical to listen in to people reading unless you have permission.”

“It’s harmless,” is what she would have signed to her father at a time like this only this time instead of being caught just by S’ril she had been caught and trapped by the crafty Romulan as well. Instead of defending herself she just tried to keep up with her father’s terse stride. The Romulan had said that they had met before. Maybe that was why she wasn’t afraid of him. “Ok, a little afraid, but not seriously afraid,” she told herself. 

“You can listen to auditory recordings,” S’ril reminded her. This wasn’t the same for Enid and S’ril knew it. He was fighting a losing battle. 

At home, S’ril and Enid prepared dinner together. Enid’s cooking had improved since she took the part time job at the bakery but she still required significant support to pull off a whole meal. They could utilize a replicator but the social aspect of preparing a meal along with the practical problem solving was therapeutic for Enid. She could tell her papa was upset over something more than catching her surfing the library so Enid ate in silence. Vulcans had emotions, they just repressed them which made Enid uncomfortable around most Vulcans, all Vulcans actually, except her papa and brother A’den. She felt it was hard to breathe around T’vel and S’lar even if the holomedic and Papa assured her that her blood oxygen and lung capacity was fine. 

“Missy’s coming home tomorrow,” S’ril said as they were clearing the dishes. The news had the desired effect. With a gleeful shriek she clapped her hands, hugged herself tightly then bounced on her tiptoes. Good S’ril thought, now for the bad news, “I have to go off world for a few days, I want you to stay with the O’Dares.” 

The girl stopped mid bounce. “Why can’t I come with you?” She signed. She wanted Missy but Papa had never gone off word before. This was not right. 

“It’s a symposium,” he explained, “I’m going to be too busy to look after you besides Missy’s coming home.” Enid didn’t hear anything after the word symposium. Her papa had just lied to her. Her brain stopped processing because she never heard her papa lie before. This was not something that she was equipped to deal with. 

“I’m not a child,” Enid persisted, her gestures exaggerated with emotion. “I don’t need you to look after me. I go all over the settlement by myself.” Why are you lying to me? WHY? Her mind screamed but she knew better than to ask.

“Everyone here knows you and how you are,” S’ril said after Enid was done signing. He sighed at Enid’s tears. The girl was not Vulcan. As much as he tried to mold her into one she resisted making him wonder if it were genetics or if the supernova had played into it. She absorbed too many Romulan minds. So many minds. He stood up to give the girl a hug. Not a typical Vulcan response but generally effective with Enid. Not this time. His foster daughter shrugged off his embrace and ran to her room. He heard the door slam and then her music, Romulan music. 

He had too much on his mind to engage in a debate about the long term effects of the volume of her music on her hearing so he went into the solarium. Maybe he could meditate. He wondered if she had felt the lie? He had hoped that the excitement of staying with the O’Dares on top of Missy coming home would have occupied her mind so that he could slip it past her. He had never told her a direct untruth before. Perhaps he should have? 

Lies, thought S’ril. Her entire life was a lie. He worried, leaving her for a few days was dangerous. He had colleges on the planet surface although he didn’t really trust them with Enid. They would be expecting Enid to react logically like a Vulcan which was rarely the case. The girl had her own logic based on her unique perception of the universe. The O’Dares would protect her as well. It wasn’t ethical, he knew, to put the O’Dares in danger when he knew what type of people might be interested in Enid. T’vel and S’lar suggested that they should come to stay with the girl but S’ril had argued successfully that his foster daughter would surely bolt. She couldn’t even breathe when the two men were around. A terrified, frantic Enid would be difficult to control at best, at worst she could get quite destructive. He doubted the Romulans would make a move towards the girl with the Federation News Service crawling all over the planet as tensions were too strained between the powers after the Copellius Incident. 

His foster daughter’s infancy had been marked by profound physical illness. After they had moved to Kiara Colony, her condition improved just as he knew it would. Vulcan-Betazoid hybrids didn’t exist for the simple reason that pregnancies of this nature were generally terminated to save the mother. A Romulan-Betazoid hybrid would have the same results, still, thanks to some of the best medical minds on Vulcan and Betazed, Enid came to be. It hadn’t been an easy task, Vulcans did not have experience with difficult pregnancies and furthermore, the girl's mother, Dinih was not always cooperative. S’ril had finally secured Dinih’s cooperation through a large financial incentive, one that should have provided Dinih with a life of comfort although he knew his ex wife had squandered this already. 

Although the girl was fragile, she had a sweet disposition. While other infants cried, Enid’s coo had a settling effect on all who were around her. The nurses at the pediatric ICU gave Enid the nickname, Tribblet, an homage to the small rodent that many humanoids found relaxing to pet. Dinih enjoyed the celebrity of being the Tribblet’s mother which, for a time, was enough to activate the woman’s maternal instincts. At ten months old they learned the girl was a born telepath. The therapists believed that since Enid was unable to filter other people’s thoughts, her infantile brain had converted the constant assault of thoughts to music. This accounted for the girl's unusual babbling. It was more like a melody than an early attempt at producing words. A developmental disability on top of the physical frailties had proved too much for Dinih’s fragile instincts. When the girl was fifteen months, she filled the tub with water and held the tiny pale child under its surface. A’den was deeply attached to his new sister and the girl’s mental screams sent the six year old crashing through the bathroom door where he tackled Dinih while S’ril scooped the child out of what turned out to be scalding water and activated the EMH. Even at six, Vulcan children were strong. In his fury, A’den beat his stepmother unconscious before S’ril had been able to intervene. Enid suffered second degree burns covering most of her body including burns in her lungs that necessitated the girl utilize artificial breathing support for months. Dinih signed over her parental rights in exchange for another large sum of money and the promise that S’ril would never disclose to anyone what she had tried to do. The records were sealed. S’ril moved his small family to Kiara Colony as soon as it had been safe for Enid to travel. 

A’den had been the one who thought of teaching Enid to write music as soon she relearned to sit up and hold items in her hands. It had given the girl a means to communicate her experiences to others. She thrived for the first time in her life. She attended school. The O’Dare girl, Missy, befriended her, drawing her into the real world even more. Enid loved movement so Missy encouraged her to join gymnastics and she excelled. 

Then the supernova! S’ril watched as his foster daughter suffered seizure after seizure. He had melded with her from an early age so he understood what he had to do. Enid had an internal landscape where she retreated when her external reality was too stressful. Inside her mind, the girl had given form to green pastures where she and her imaginary friend, an alicorn named Boo could play in the sun without burning. The supernova devastated that world. What he found was a vast desert filled with rotting Romulan corpses trying to capture the little girl. The alicorn kept her aloft, out of reach of the corpses but it was getting tired and had no place to graze. It was near death; she was near death. He flooded the desert and created an ocean that he hoped would insulate her from the trauma that the Romulans surely suffered. He then created a shoreline and grazing lands for her alicorn. It worked, Enid recovered. She had a dire fear of oceans but she had recovered. The ocean was prone to storms when she needed a boat, S’ril helped her create a boat. The bow had the head of an alicorn, and the stern the tail. The sides were great wings that covered and protected her from the waves and it was coated in multicolored glitter. If she found herself in the ocean she could call on the boat and she and her alicorn could wait it out and fly to shore when the sky opened. 

Eventually S’ril’s mind cleared and he achieved meditation. Vulcans are not passive telepaths which meant that he did not sense he was being watched. Enid might have noticed the musings of a curious mind if she had not been so distracted by her father’s apparent lie. Narek observed the house. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Even at this distance he heard the door slam, the music, and saw S’ril sit alone in the solarium. It didn’t take advanced degrees in psychology to figure out the situation. It was cold out and he had to check in with Ni’ael.

***

Ni’ael was munching on a plate of Enid’s sweet cakes when Narek caught up to him. “Interesting girl, that albino.” He said smoothly. Narek noticed the drawing Enid had given Raelyn lying next to the bakery box on Ni’ael’s desk. Following Narek’s gaze, Ni’ael stated, “The woman’s name was Bria.” 

“She existed? The supernova did impact Enid?” Narek stared at the drawing. It depicted a plump elderly woman happily baking holiday sweet cakes. There was the same peculiar use of color and perspective yet the effect in this case was completely different. He strained to remember his parents, or grandparents for that matter, but somehow the image made him feel warm and protected. 

“What did you learn today, Narek?” It was an invitation. At this point Narek understood that Enid was a major part of the mission. Perhaps she was the mission. Everything had been in place here for four years at least. Someone had sunk considerable resources into an infrastructure to conduct surveillance. He had reviewed the mining contract. It was far too favorable. Someone wanted a presence at Kiara Colony. Someone powerful was interested in Enid. The waitress was probably not the only Tal Shiar embedded in the population. Very likely there were agents that had been surgically altered to blend in as well. 

“Enid was the artist of the drawing,” Narek knew that Ni’ael was hoping for more. This was a test but Narek wasn’t sure how to pass it. He wasn’t sure he wanted to pass it. Ni’ael made an encouraging gesture and Narek continued, “She has an idiosyncratic use of perspective and color that produces physical and emotional responses.” 

“Indeed,” Ni’ael commented drily. “Tell me, did you throw up?” 

“Almost,” Narek replied reluctantly. He wondered if Ni’ael had thrown up. 

“Why do you suppose she folds the drawings?” 

“Probably for the protection of others,” Narek smirked. It made sense, she definitely did have an intuitive concern for other people. He considered the baked goods, the visions she had given Tom, her efforts to save his transport from destruction, as well as her behavior today. She could have pulled every disturbing recollection he had of Narissa from his brain to parade in front of him and then possibly more. It would have been painful, even humiliating to Narek and the girl knew this. She knew this and considered it. She chose to scream instead. He knew that he had gotten off easy today. She hadn’t folded the drawing of the baker so she knew that some of her drawings were upsetting so she hid them in the complicated folds. She definitely was not simple. Narek debated telling Ni’ael about his telepathic encounter but decided against it. It had been a reckless act in retrospect. He should have learned more about the girl before trying it. Hopefully there was no harm done.

“Probably,” Ni’ael stated flatly, “My courier shot himself.” Narek startled. “We’d better go over the questions Miss O’Dare submitted.” 

Narek had looked at the questions. She had submitted hundreds of questions. Many of them are the same but worded differently in an obvious attempt to get one version of her most pressing questions past the censors. Only six questions had made the cut and those were rather easy ones. “We are not giving her much of an interview are we?” 

“No. Have you figured out a way to access Missy’s files?” 

“Yes,” Narek presented Ni’ael with a small transponder. It was a basic device and a simple plan. Once activated he could monitor her access to various systems through her PCD, (personal communication device). They would be able to intercept codes she used. It wasn’t a plan that required much skill but Narek inferred this to be a small part of the mission he was being asked to join. 

“Ihlla’nh,”Ni’ael stood. Narek was dismissed. After the door closed behind Narek, Ni’ael considered what Narek had said as well as what he had not said. He reached into his desk to retrieve another of Enid’s drawings. He studied it carefully as there was much riding on this. It was a drawing of Narek. Not the boy Narek that Ni’ael knew Enid had met, but the man that Narek was now. He was sitting on a bed, holding a pendant and looked like he was knee deep in uncomfortable thoughts. Ni’ael replaced the drawing to his drawer atop the stack of other drawings of Narek that Enid had done. He contemplated telling Narek about the drawings but would never defy Plutarch. Plutarch felt that If this was going to work, Enid needed to be a puzzle. One that Narek would solve. 

When Narek entered his crude quarters he flopped on his bed. He pulled a cube from his pocket, a tan zhekran, and began twisting the rows of blocks. The Romulan way of life, always dancing around the truth, was exhausting.


	4. Chapter 4

Missy could not believe her good fortune. She was going to interview an actual Tal Shiar agent! She suppressed a giggle at the irony of looking forward to meeting an agent of the Tal Shiar. She watched out the window in the observation lounge as her transport approached Kiara Station. Her home! Her family! Her Ena! Ena was the nickname she devised for Enid when the two were young. She had already packed her belongings and was ready to disembark at the first possible second. S’ril had asked her not to tell Enid she was coming so as to not distract her from her studies. Enid needed to pass the basic history exam. It was the difference between a certificate of completion and a certificate of attendance. Missy knew how important it was for Enid to acquire the first since a standard diploma was out of the question. Enid tended to keep telepathic tabs on people she cared about, a phenomenon that she and Rone referred to as a telepathic tether. This made it difficult to keep a secret from Enid, even from a distance and Missy was glad to finally be done with it. 

The ship docked and she found Enid waiting for her. She was hugging S’ril’s arm and she thought for sure her friend had been crying. As she got closer, Enid broke from S’ril and ran towards her. Missy hugged her tightly, breathing the fragrance of Enid’s hair. She kissed Enid full on the lips. Enid responded in kind. The girl's eyes met. Enid’s pupils dilated and Missy felt the familiar touch of Enid’s mind in hers. She had missed this! She generally felt Enid even from a great distance but there was nothing like close up contact. She felt every sensation that Enid felt. Every emotion…Missy drew back and regarded her dear friend. She was upset. Desperately upset. 

“What?” she asked softly. Enid shook her head. S’ril approached. 

“I’ve been called off world,” S’ril informed Missy. Well, that would explain it. Enid had never been separated from S’ril. S’ril noticed Missy’s disapproving expression, “It was sudden,” he explained. Why did he feel he needed to justify himself to Missy? The youngest O’Dare had often clashed with S’ril over Enid. He appreciated that Missy had encouraged Enid to engage in the external world. In fact he was grateful. Much of Enid’s progress could be attributed to Missy’s intrepid friendship particularly after A’den had gone off world to school but sometimes the girl was too much. He was saved from further comment by Missy’s brother Rory. 

“Hey sis!” he grabbed the girl, “Don’t I get a hug?” Rory proceeded to wrap his arms around his sister in a bear hug that lifted the girl off the ground. 

He held her until she grunted, “Can’t breathe!” 

Dropping her he turned to S’ril, “Your transport has been delayed an hour, sir.” 

“I was hoping you could leave with Enid,” Missy had not told S’ril about her interview. Anything Romulan set the old Vulcan off. Rory knew of her appointment and understood why she had kept it from S’ril. He also knew that Enid was not going to leave until S’ril was on that transport. 

“Mum needs you at church,” he covered, “I’ll call you when it’s time to pick up Enid. It is likely to be more than an hour.” Missy was grateful for her brother's help. She knew Enid was miserable and hated passing her off to her brother but this was the opportunity of a lifetime. She didn’t even know how to contact Narek to delay the interview. Somehow she didn’t imagine that Tal Shiar responded to requests to reschedule. She threw Rory a grateful glance who mouthed, you owe me. 

“Is that ok Ena?” She kissed her friend on the forehead and hugged her tightly again. “I’ll come get you when your papa leaves. Unless you want to leave now.” Enid shook her head and cowered into S’ril’s side. 

“I stay,” Enid said softly. Missy hated seeing how miserable her friend looked. In fact, she had never seen Enid this unhappy. She needed to talk with her but it would have to wait. She hoped her friend could hold it together. 

“The bakery.” Enid communicated to Missy telepathically.

“I’ll take care of it,” Missy knew that the bakery job meant alot to Enid. She felt useful and independent. “I’ll make the delivery, but it’s best I don’t try to decorate any cookies.” Enid’s nose crinkled with a smile. Good, thought Missy. She’ll be ok. Even so, she quietly reminded Rory that he could call Rone if he really needed too. 

*** 

Narek had to find out who his benefactor was. The interest in Enid was a no brainer. The girl had obvious skills that could be exploited. Why didn't he like that idea? Why did he care? It had to be someone powerful with resources to pull off an operation of this size. The courier had shot himself? That had to be more than the application of color and perspective. Could she psionically imbed emotions into her work? What made the girl draw such images? She sketched out her dreams. Maybe the drawing had been a dream? A nightmare? 

He was seated at a booth in the diner waiting for Missy. Late winter weather on this world was a bipolar mix of heavy wet show broken by days of warm sunshine. Today was the latter. Streams of melted snow ran down the streets and into storm sewers. Icicles dripped from the awning. A woman, not Enid delivered the morning baked goods. 

“As I live and breathe! The illustrious Missy O’Dare!” cried the cook coming out of the kitchen to give the girl a hug. “Back for the protest?” 

“Where’s Enid?” Raelyn asked, her brow furrowed with concern. 

“Yes,” she pointed at the cook, “and at the station,” she pointed at Raelyn. Missy’s voice was deep for a woman, throaty and rich. “S’ril has been called off world.” 

“That’s sudden,” Raelyn placed a cup in front of Missy and filled it with coffee. “Is everything ok?” 

Symposium. The word appeared in Missy’s brain. “I think he went to a symposium,” she said. It was a ridiculous statement, she knew. She suspected that S’ril had known he was leaving and hid it from Enid. She wondered if he had asked Missy to conceal arrival from Enid because he wanted a distraction. Had he used her? 

“So an emergency symposium.” Raelyn said slowly, “Oh, I can see that.” Raelyn rolled her eyes. Missy shrugged as she put cream and sugar in her coffee dismissing the waitress. Enid often told her about Raelyn and Missy regarded the nosey woman as a rival for Enid’s attention. At the very least she was suspicious of the older woman’s attention towards Enid. She looked around the diner. There were more people in the diner that she anticipated. Which one was Narek? 

Narek waived from the booth at the back of the diner. Missy took her coffee and walked over to him. He stood politely and shook her hand.

“Miss O’Dare,” he said, gesturing to her to sit. 

“Call me Missy,” she told him, “What do I call you?”

“Narek,” he said. 

“Can I have one second?” Missy asked, pulling out her PCD that had been vibrating. “I just need to respond to this.” She checked her device. “What is going on?” Rone had asked. Missy typed, “Can you go to the station? Ena needs you.” Rone responded, “I get off in 1 hour. Be there then.” That was all Narek really needed for his device to start burrowing through Missy’s virtual world. All that was left is to keep the interview going long enough for the device to finish its work. This could have been accomplished by anyone really. Narek knew he was supposed to do something more, but wasn’t sure where this mission was going. 

“Thanks,” Missy put her device away. 

“You look harried today,” Narek commented. He had a friendly smile and a pleasant voice. 

Missy shrugged, “You’re not really giving me much of an interview,” she stated, “Mind if I record?”

“I’m sorry,” he said sheepishly, “That isn’t allowed.” 

“How about a walk then?” She glanced around the restaurant. There were more customers than she had anticipated. No one confessed secrets in a crowd. “It’s lovely out and I have been on a cramped transport for days.” Narek agreed. He just needed to keep the young journalist close enough for his transponder to work and it was a lovely day. Missy finished her coffee. She and the Romulan left the diner. 

“Which way?” Narek asked, zipping his jacket. Missy wanted to get closer to the station. She pointed to the road that ran parallel to the checkpoint fence and led to the station. Local artists had designed a sculpture park along the barrier. The park helped soften the appearance of the barrier but Missy still found the structure ugly. As they walked Missy quickly went through the banal questions that had been approved. 

“What to do now?” Missy thought to herself pushing her hair over her ears. It was an unconscious gesture that revealed her ears ended in a point. 

“Yes,” Missy said, noticing Nareks interest, “I have a Vulcan ancestor.” The trait surfaced periodically over the generations. Out of the ten O’Dare children, only two were born with the Vulcan trait. 

“My brother, Tim and I are the lucky ones.” Narek asked if she was embarrassed by her Vulcan heritage and Missy laughed. “My heritage is Irish,” she corrected. 

She explained that in Irish folklore there were creatures called, fairies or wee folk who had pointed ears. Her cousins used to tease her and her brother. “At least I don’t have red hair,” she said, “Poor Tim. My cousins still call him a leprechaun although they don’t hold him down and threaten to tickle him till he gives up his pot of gold anymore!” She explained that the wee folk were known for kidnapping children or just general mischief but if you could catch a leprechaun you would get his pot of gold.

“Humans have pointy eared creatures in folklore,” she mused, “Do Romulans any round eared creatures?” 

Narek assured her that they did not.

“Tell me about Gamadan,” Missy had to get this guy to open up, “I know that wasn’t on the list, but it’s a myth. That can’t be top secret.” The handsome Romulan told a good story, Missy admitted. She tried to get a sense of what he was about as he spoke. Missy was empathic but when she was around Enid, her gifts were multiplied. This morning however, Enid’s thought process was disorganized which made it difficult for Missy to focus. She allowed herself to be drawn into Nareks narrative and felt Enid fade into the background. Now she could get a better read on the man. She knew Narek was interested in information from Missy but she was not sure what. She felt a conflict within the man. It was always more difficult to read conflicted people. Too much noise and cross talk in their heads. Do all Romulans feel like this, she wondered, Do they lie so much that they don’t know which way is up? That made sense to her, Narek felt like he was trying to figure out a direction. 

“So Soji’s sister fulfilled the role of foreteller,” Missy clarified, “I suppose it fits. Her murder tiped off Picard.” 

“Can I ask you something?” Narek ventured.

“You should have submitted a list, six months in advance,” Missy teased. “Go ahead.” 

“What is your interest in synthetics?” 

“Oh,” Missy exhaled, “That’s a complicated answer.”

“Complicated answers are the best kind,” Narek smiled with his entire face. He really could be disarming, Missy thought. 

“Do you believe in evil?” MIssy asked Narek. 

“I don’t think true evil is as common as people think,” Narek said after some thought. Missy thought that was the type of answer someone who was trained to deceive would give.

“I think it’s more insidious than people think,” Missy started. She didn’t get any further as her PCD shook violently. “Just a minute,” She stepped away from Narek who positioned himself so that he appeared to give her privacy but could watch her in the reflection of a public sculpture. The image was a bit distorted but he could get a feel for her body language. 

“This is bad,” Rory’s voice shook, “It’s bad, you gotta get here. Rone is on his way too but you gotta get here.” Missy tried to reach Enid’s mind. She felt as though she slammed into a wall. Physically she stumbled causing Narek to pivot and leap to catch her. 

“Oh my God!” she shouted into the device. 

“Just get here!” Rory sounded frantic. 

“I got to go,” Missy stumbled forward again. Narek steadied her.

“I think you need to sit down,” Narek was genuinely worried now. Missy was pale, she looked as though she would pass out. That would be difficult to explain. He envisioned being questioned by the local magistrate about how a prominent journalist had taken ill during his interview. 

“I have to get to the station, it’s not far,” Missy fell to her knees. Narek slid his arm under hers and easily pulled her up. 

“Just let me help,” his voice was unexpectedly tender. Missy didn’t resist, in fact she appreciated the support. Romulans, like Vucans, were much stronger than humans. Missy could feel this strength in Narek’s body as he nearly carried her up the hill to the station. By the time they reached the entrance she had regained much of her own strength. A young man Missy didn’t recognize was at the main entrance waving frantically to her.

“This way.” But that was really not necessary because Missy could hear Enid’s wails. As they rounded the corner to the promenade, Missy shook off Nareks support and sprinted to the crumpled form of Enid. She got within a meter and met with some invisible field that sent her flying backwards. Rory helped her up. 

“There is no explanation for this.” Rory began. A crowd had formed around the girl held back by station security. “You can’t get close to her but there is no energy field!” He offered her a tricorder as proof. 

A young man with dark hair and a lab coat sprinted across the promenade. “Rone, stop!” Missy shouted too late. Rone too bounced off the invisible shield. Rory and Missy helped him up. Narek blended into the crowd to observe. He needed a few more minutes and had to remain close. Missy laid down in front of Enid propped up on her forearms facing her friend. Rone followed suit. Narek could not hear what was being said but every few minutes either Rone or Missy inched forward driving back the invisible boundary until eventually Rone pulled Enid into his arms. He whispered something in her ear and she collapsed. The young man easily carried the limp albino to the stationmaster’s office. Missy trailed after them. Narek stepped behind a pillar and pulled out a handheld device. The light had turned green. It was ready. He punched in a code that activated Missy’s PCD and adjusted his earpiece. 

“S’ril lied to her,” Missy told Rone. “He’s not going to a symposium. There is no symposium at DS6...There is a Vulcan clinic there...Look here, he has an appointment.”

“Missy, you can’t hack people’s medical records.” 

“I can. No one will know...Here it is....day after tomorrow….Ok, so now I’ll get noticed of changes to his file…”

“That’s illegal…”

“What’s he going to do, put his daughter’s best friend in jail?” 

“You’re scary….” There was a long pause, “Can I talk to you a sec....Ena will sleep for hours if we let her…” 

“How’d you do that?”

“Something I figured out...Her nightmares have been bad lately…Really. Bad. Sometimes I just have to get some sleep...”

“You’re calling me scary….You just admitted to regularly knocking out your girlfriend telepathically.” The stationmaster’s door opened and the pair took a few steps away. 

“I’m not a telepath and it’s not regularly...Just sometimes…” Rone said. He took a deep breath, “S’ril lies about other things too.” There was a long pause. After a deep sigh Rone continued, “Six months ago, Ena wanted to see what our children might look like…”

“How cute…” Missy sounded as if she thought it was anything but cute.

“Shut up, listen… We can’t argue right now...I scanned her. She can’t be Vulcan…” Another deep breath, “She’s Romulan…” Another long pause, “Did you hear me?”

“Yes...How?”

“Either S’ril is Romulan or Ena is not his daughter… It doesn’t make sense. A Vulcan Betazoid hybrid is difficult but a Romulan betazoid hybrid is impossible...Impossible but...”

“Did you scan S’ril?”

“No, that is unethical.” 

Missy threw up her hands. “Does Ena know?” 

“I don’t think so.”

“You didn’t tell her? Why?”

“Because, it turns out she’s sterile. There won’t be children…”

“Jesus, she must be devastated…You must be... I’m sorry…”

“Yeah….I just couldn’t say, ‘Hey love, we can’t have kids and by the way, your life has been a lie.’ I just couldn’t.” 

“Of course, how though... I mean it’s hard to keep a secret from Ena. I can do it for a week or so….but six months?” 

“I think on some level she does know... I think..” The young man leaned with his back against the wall. “She’s hiding it from herself…Have you noticed her internal landscape has a castle now?...What’s in it? She won’t go there with me...Does she go there with you?”

“No… I mean yes, I saw the castle but I’ve been so far away...Fuck… What do we do with this information?” Missy turned and put her arms and head on the wall. There were rumors about S’ril. Half the settlement believed the eccentric Vucan was in fact a Romulan. Missy didn’t. “S’ril’s not Romulan,” she said with conviction, “I wonder how I could figure out who her father is… Her mother’s name is Dinih right?”

“What good does that do?” Rone paced a circle in front of Missy. He touched her hair. 

“I don’t know, it’s stupid… I just don’t know what to do so I investigate…” Missy turned, allowing Rone to gather her in his arms. She allowed herself to cry and accepted the comfort of his gentle caress on her hair and the swaying motion of his body. Missy understood why Enid had chosen him over her. Over the last two years she told herself that the choice was made de facto because Missy had left to pursue her career. This was false, she knew. Rone had definite traits that Enid needed and that Missy couldn’t offer. After a few moments they returned to the office. 

Narek doubted Missy could figure out who Enid’s father was but he could. He went to a public terminal. He wanted anonymity. He placed a device on the screen and quickly pecked out a series of characters. The device blinked green and he removed it sliding it into his pocket. 

He searched up Enid’s mother, Dinih. She was a Betezoid of questionable character. She had supposed ties to Orion Crime Syndicate. At one time she had been respectable. She had been married to a Cardasian cyberneticist. His lab was destroyed and the man jumped from a balcony. A few months later she married S’ril. There was a divorce record and Dinih had signed over her parental rights. That record referenced a different record that had been sealed. Narek tried to bypass the seal but the file had a lengthy encryption. That would take a while. He wanted to know the woman’s backstory but he didn’t think the information was pertinent at this moment so he decided to come back to it. He had what he needed when he saw the word cyberneticist. That would definitely be Zaht Vash. 

Was he working for Narissa again? Panic threatened to break his concentration. “Stop it, Narek,” he told himself. “Stick to task.” He could think about that later. He was looking for someone among the ultra elite. He flipped through pictures of charitable events, diplomatic receptions, and high profile parties. An image caught his eye. “There!” He tapped on the image and enlarged it. Ni’ael stood alongside a stunning woman at a charitable event. Tall, blonde, and finely dressed, the woman had the appearance of the Romulan ultra elite. It was a candid shot and Narek wondered how it had made it past the censors. The ultra elite were never shown casually, every move was planned and staged to achieve maximum effect. He recognized her. Her name was Lorlani and she was the beloved niece of a powerful and enigmatic man, Plutarch. Plutarch was military, not secret police or could he have been both? The military generally sussed out Tal Shiar among their ranks rendering them less effective. Plutarch was well liked among soldiers due to his reputation as a daring and brave officer in his youth. He was also well liked among the socialite class, particularly powerful women. Narek studied the image. Ni’ael and Lorlani made a glamorous couple. Ni’ael regarded the woman as if she were his most prized possession. Larlani’s smile told Narek that Ni’ael was in fact her most prized possession. Was this what love among the ultra elite looked like? 

Narek had spent too much time at the terminal. He retrieved the device from his pocket and placed it on the screen. He pressed it twice and watched the screen flicker. When the device turned red, he detached it and returned it to his pocket. He would look at the information later. Right now he had to think. He needed someplace quiet, away from the colonists, away from other Romulans. They have a really nice park across from that church of theirs...


	5. Chapter 5

Narek found the park’s gazebo offered enough relative privacy as well as an advantageous vantage point from which to observe the center of the settlement. The church, a Romanesque Revival structure, took up an entire city block which included the rectory that the O’Dares called home. He watched as Missy and Rone walked Enid into the rectory. Rone carried a duffle bag, and Enid’s backpack while Missy walked arm and arm with her friend. Narrek noticed the church itself was buzzing with people entering and leaving. Probably getting organized for the protest, he concluded.

There was a complicated little triangle, he thought. He twisted a row in a tan zhekran that he had pulled from his pocket. Missy was obviously telepathically linked some way to Enid judging by the woman’s reaction to her friend's distress. Rone too probably, but he seemed to have more control. Another twist. How had he imcompasitated the girl? What were these nightmares about? Another Twist. Missy had been obsessed with Enid who now planned to marry Rone. He would need to learn more about this. Another twist. He wondered too of this internal landscape that Rone had mentioned. They both could see inside the albino’s mind. Narek’s conversation with Missy had been cut short. He’d have to catch up with her again. There were the protests that the church was planning. Missy would be heavily involved. Maybe there was a way he could be helpful? 

Was S’ril as Missy believed a Vulcan? The girl was smart, but he had to consider that she was wrong. Another twist. How could she be sure? Now that he thought of it Plutarch was unlikely Enid’s father. Then again, if S’ril were a Romulan and the Tal Shiar wanted Enid, the pair would have been taken years ago. Even if S’ril were Vulcan, why go through all this trouble? And what was a Vulcan doing raising a disabled Romulan hybrid? Vulcans terminated pregnancies that would result in disabilities. Liam O’Dare had commented to his captain that when S’ril arrived at the colony, the nearly two year old wore specialized equipment to breath, “Her skin had a blue tinge and with that white hair you could mistake her for an Andorian.” Narek was sure the man was embellishing even so... 

Narek exhaled slowly. He remembered the exchange he had had with Enid’s brother. He was staggered that the boy had refused to translate Enid’s message. The message that saved the ship. Another twist. He would have let them be destroyed. The boy defended himself saying that Romulans wouldn’t have saved a Vulcan ship. 

“Well, you're a crappy brother,” Narek had told the young Vulcan unable in the moment to come up with a better comeback, “Your sister needed you. You should have helped her.”

“Enid would have been euthanized on your world,” the boy retorted. 

“And on your world, she would never have been born!” Narek then realized that the little girl understood what was being said. Maybe not all of it but tragically enough. He remembered how injured she had looked. “I’m sorry,” he had stammered, “It’s true, technically, but it’s good that you’re alive. You’re good,” he assured her. At the time, Narek had been grateful that he and the other passengers were alive and not stranded on this backwater colony. Another twist. Now he felt regret that this might be the albino’s last memory of him. 

The more he learned about Enid the more convinced Narek was that the girl had an instinctive need to help people and an intuitive understanding of what people needed. She was good. Narek believed that true goodness was just as rare as true evil. Most people were just getting by day after day doing what they thought would improve their own small lives. True goodness should be preserved whenever possible. The mission of the Tal Shiar was to preserve Romulan lives. Their methods could be brutal at times but so long as the net result saved Romulan lives and sovereignty that was enough. Narek believed in this mission. Enid was a Romulan life. Enid was good. Enid needed to be preserved. Another twist.

Soji had seemed good. Her advocating for the XB’s. Her ability to see beauty in imperfection. These attributes were attractive to Narek, particularly the latter. Narek knew he was himself damaged and entertained the possibility that Soji could love him. But Soji wasn’t good. She was a lie. She had been programmed with these values. His mind had struggled with this and he was pleased to have followed through with his mission. He passed the test. He knew that he had to give some credit to Narissa for his success. In her way she had protected Narek from himself. Her methods were cruel to be sure, but she didn’t let him lose sight of what Soji was. When he was younger he believed his sister to be evil but knew that she was just damaged as well. 

Another twist. “What happened today?” Narek’s mind leaped sideways from the topic of his sister. Was it only S’ril’s lie had an effect on the girl’s emotional state causing her to generate some sort of defensive field or had there been something more? That suggested telekinetics of some kind. Telekinetics, the manipulation of matter or energy with thought. These people were rare and valuable. The Tal Shiar was probably not the only organization interested in Enid. Her mother was connected to the Orion Syndicate. Did the girl's mother know of Enid’s special abilities? Another twist. Narek did not like the idea of the girl falling into the hands of criminals but could her own kind offer her something better? 

S’ril had wanted the wall. He had to be afraid that the Tal Shiar would find out about Enid but seriously, did he believe a wall would stop that? Moreover, why hadn’t he left with the girl when the Romulan miners first arrived? Another twist. Why stay? His work. He couldn’t take his work with him. The ruins must be incredibly important for him to risk losing Enid. How could S’ril feel that would be safe while he was away? She wasn’t defenceless, obviously, nevertheless, she is still just a girl. Surely there was a way to manipulate her. Another twist. She had demonstrated a Romulan like shrewdness yesterday. A result of the supernova? Another twist. She stopped short of causing Narek serious emotional pain. She exercised restraint. Narek had felt the girl's recognition of her own power, of his strength and of his vulnerability. She considered her options and chose the one that would inflict the least harm. She’d shown mercy. Another twist.

“The supernova! Enid could recall details from the lives of people who died in the supernova. That had to be valuable as well to someone if that information could be harnessed. Surely the Federation would be interested in that as much as his people would be. From a security perspective, the girl was potentially a giant security breach. Another twist. 

The sun had passed its zenith. He slid the tan zhekran into his pocket. He had more questions than answers at this point but he had some direction. One unwelcome and unexpected question crept quietly into his mind. Had the mission against the synthetics saved Romulan lives? It was an ugly question and he shoved it to a corner. He had a mission to focus on. 

He glanced down at the church. Would it be worthwhile to pop in and see if Missy wanted to reschedule? He decided it would be. 

***

Narissa kept tabs on her baby brother. When she learned he was reassigned she arranged to receive a brief of incoming communications to the remote colony. It had cost her. She had very little to bargain with these days. She was still beautiful and it wasn’t too hard for her to find someone she could encourage to feed her information. It was repugnant but paid off eventually. A message to Vulcan named Rynar from a Vulcan named S’lar.

S’ril to proceed to DS6. Girl unaffected. S’ril unable to meld. 

She attempted to access the Tal Shiar records on S’ril. She was denied. She tried searching S’lar and Rynar only to be denied. Her new circumstances were beyond frustrating. The fight against the synthetics had taken her parents. That seed of hatred had been fertilized by the Admonition. Narissa lacked introspection. She blamed the failure of the mission on the synthetics. She knew that she had made mistakes but connecting those mistakes to the utter failure of the mission was not something she could do. She would not accept that she had been responsible for ruining the work of hundreds of agents on dozens of systems. She was not responsible for the Federation purge of Romulan agents within their ranks. Her mistakes had set Romulan interests back decades but this was the fault of the synthetics. Finally the synthetics had separated her from her dear baby brother. Her sweet Narek, the best part of her, she acknowledged. She had no family and no rank and she blamed the synths for this. 

***

Missy expected Enid to take a nap at the rectory but Enid wanted to help make signs for the rally. While she couldn’t read or write, Enid could copy well. Missy wrote various slogans out on paper for the girl to paint on signs. The signs could have been replicated but it seemed disingenuous to protest artificial people with artificially produced signs. Besides, it gave Enid an occupation which was helpful right now. Enid came up with the idea of creating signs in Romulan since the Romulans were being displaced by the synths. Enid volunteered to ask Raelyn to translate messages when she made her morning deliveries. The Federation News Service was covering the event. Missy had a lot to do. She had a lot riding on this. 

This morning was a setback. She would have liked to spend more time with Narek. She didn’t know what she thought she could accomplish, he hadn’t been allowed to answer most of her questions. It was still a major accomplishment to get a legitimate interview with a Romulan Tal Shiar agent! She felt that gave her some credibility as a journalist. 

S’ril must be seriously ill to leave Enid like this. Missy thought her friend knew more than she said. It’s not that Enid withheld information on purpose, she sometimes lacked the ability to express herself. If S’ril died, what would happen to Enid? Rone would take care of her of course. Things had become serious if Enid and Rone were fantasizing about future children. Her friend required a delicate balance to maintain her emotional well being. Too little stimulation and she tended to retreat to her internal world, too much stimulation would also send her packing as well. Rone could provide this balance for Enid. Missy knew although she had been livid when Rone started dating Enid. She and Rone had agreed for the sake of friendship that neither would pursue a relationship with Enid. Rone reneged. 

“You have a girlfriend!” Rone argued, “I figured you moved on. You seem happy with Jennifer.” Missy’s interest in Jennefer was superficial. She was using the girl to take her mind off of Ena. 

“Yeah,” Missy retorted, punching Rone in the chest, “I did what we agreed to do. What the hell is wrong with you?” 

“I can’t move on,” Rone insisted. It had made their last year together uncomfortable for sure, then Missy initiated a relationship with Enid herself when Rone went off planet to school. Missy wasn’t going to let Rone win by cheating. It wasn’t fair. Born telepaths had a reputation for being either promiscuous or not able to engage in intimacy at all. Enid was the former. She got caught up in the desires of the other person and found it hard to advocate for herself. Even Rone confided to Missy that he wasn’t sure Enid was able to give informed consent sometimes. For a while, Enid proved to be a handful for S’ril. It was a relief to everyone when Enid started dating Rone. Well, everyone but Missy of course. 

Missy turned her attention to the information on the tablet in front of her. She reviewed the list of speakers and the various venues. It wasn’t often that the remote colony got a visit from the Federation News Service so everyone wanted in on the action. The mine was to tell the truth only a small part of the colony's economy. There were artisans and agricultural products. A small tourist industry had also popped up in recent years. The ruins were also a popular destination for academics despite S’ril’s displeasure. The idea was to maximize the attention the best they could and make sure that they could not be dismissed as backward, anti technology, and uneducated. She wanted to show off her home in the best light while trying to convince the Federation to slow down on the production of synthetic life. 

She looked over at Enid, sitting on the floor of the church basement happily painting signs. Missy sat at one of the long tables the church used for community diners. Mosts of the tables were folded up and stored in cabinets at the end of the room. Given a choice, Enid preferred the floor almost always for writing or drawing. She caught a figure in her periphery vision and turned. Narek was in the doorway. He gave a wave and she motioned him over.

“I thought we could reschedule if you have time,” he said. He had a nice smile. She assumed he practiced that. Narek took a seat across from her and glanced towards Enid. “I trust that your friend is alright…” 

Missy rubbed her forehead, “Yeah, she's good. Maybe tomorrow?” She also wanted to continue their conversation but there were things to do. 

Seeing Narek, Enid came over. She signed to Missy. “He can translate my signs!” Missy knew why her friend was using sign language and not telepathy. Her friend had inconsistencies and challenges but she was smart. Enid wanted Narek to be aware of the communication. 

Missy considered what she wanted. “Raelyn tomorrow,” she told Enid telepathically. Did she want Enid to spend time with a known Tal Shiar operative? No, she decided. 

Narek sensing that Enid had referred to him asked her directly, “Is there something I can help out with?” he asked. Encouraged, she pulled at his arm and pointed to where she had been working. The girl seemed unphased by his encounter with her yesterday.

“No,” Missy took Enid’s hand, “She’s fine!” She pictured S’ril’s reaction. He would surely forbid Enid from seeing Missy again. 

Enid stiffened, then stomped her foot, a move that Narek knew was a warning. He watched Missy’s face. The young woman recognized her friend's resolve and relented. 

“Ena wants you to translate some of our signs into Romulan for her,” Missy said reluctantly. “I told her that she could get Raelyn to do it tomorrow but she insists.” Enid did not seem at all phased by the operative’s presence. If he were dangerous, Enid would react, Missy thought, although she was off balance today, maybe she just has her guard down. There were three types of people in the universe: people who liked Enid, people who didn’t like her, and people that Enid didn’t like. The third category was the one you had to look out for. If Enid didn’t like a person, there was something wrong with that person. Enid generally understood that some people didn’t like her. They were unnerved by telepaths or in general uncomfortable around people with disabilities. She didn’t hold that against them though and oftentimes these people came around eventually. 

“I don’t know that you are going to get participation from that corner,” Narek said drily interrupting her thoughts. 

“I’m not counting on it but we want to include our Romulan neighbors. I just don’t know if I want to expose Ena to a Tal Shiar operative.” 

“I promise not to do anything nefarious,” Narek’s eyes sparkled with amusement. If Missy had any idea, Narek thought of Raelyn. She was probably not the only Tal Shiar that Enid had already interacted with. 

Missy nodded her permission which elicited a grin from Enid. She clapped and bounced on her toes. Enid took Narek’s left arm with both hands and pulled him to her workspace. She gestured at the signs she had already created and handed Narek a pencil. She indicated that he needed to sit on the floor with her. 

“I’m Narek,” he realized that Missy had not introduced him. He hadn’t thought of it yesterday either. Why did the girl rely on sign language if she was telepathic? He wondered what it was like for Enid, always relying on people to help her communicate but never knowing if they were actually going to let her speak? That was the third time he had seen someone silence her voice. There was Raelyn at the diner, Missy just now, and A’den, the girl's brother 15 years ago. The girl he’d met in his mind was an intelligent, thoughtful young woman. It had to be infuriating to be treated like a child by just about the whole settlement it seemed. He wondered what kind of man was this Rone who would marry her? 

“Mister Nar-ick,” the albino repeated.

“Just Narek,” he corrected. Some of the phrases didn’t translate well into Romulan but he picked two that he thought would work. As he worked he was conscious the albino was studying him. He wondered if she was thinking of their encounter? He had been so impulsive but she seemed unharmed. She pulled a notebook out of her backpack and scribbled furiously pulling away when he tried to look. She rocked occasionally and occasionally stopped to flap her hands in front of her face. He finished one sign and offered it to her to paint. She put the notebook down and picked up a brush. Romulan writing could be intricate and although he tried to represent it the best he could using the drawing tool he was given, he had doubts about how well Enid would actually be able to reproduce it. He was surprised when she reproduced his marks with no errors. It was quite good work. 

“Nice!” he said when she looked at him for approval. She beamed. “You're quite clever,” added. He remembered that she had liked it when he called her clever years ago, in fact that had been the same compliment that she had given him yesterday. He hoped that she would understand. Enid flashed a coquettish smile. Those eyes! He thought again. She reached up and touched his eyebrow. He resisted pulling away from the intimate gesture. He knew that this was the girls unique way of branding him a friend. 

“You’ve had a rough day haven’t you?” He said gently, trying to maintain eye contact. It was another gamble. He wasn’t sure bringing up the incident in the morning was a good idea. Her gaze dulled, he worried he had overstepped but she just nodded. Narek wasn’t quite sure where to go from there. The girl picked up the notebook and showed it to him. She had been scribbling out musical notes. “Remarkable,” he thought as he studied the intricate composition. 

“You,” Enid pointed at Narek then to the paper. He shook his head and shrugged. Did she want him to add to the composition? 

Periodically Missy looked over at the pair, amused at the juxtaposition of a hardened Tal Shiar operative, (capable of murder she knew for even if she didn’t approve of the creation of synthetics, killing one was murder in her mind), sitting on the floor, painting protest signs with an albino mute. It alarmed her when Enid reached over and touched Narek on the brow. Working with him was one thing, she didn’t necessarily want Enid making friends with the man. As she walked over she could feel Enid’s frustration. 

“The composition is what she hears from you,” Missy said after a moment's consideration. Narek still looked confused. “Ena can’t filter out other people’s thoughts,” she began, “but her mind translates the thoughts she hears into music.” 

Narek nodded in understanding. This explained why she cupped her hands over her ears when she talked. It was probably hard for her to hear her own voice over the music in her head. 

“This is what you sound like to Ena,” Missy knelt down to examine the notebook. 

Narek looked at the intricate marks on the page. He wished he could hear it. “May I?” he asked as he pulled out a handheld device, “May I scan it?” He remembered how reluctant she had been giving Raelyn the drawing. 

Enid laid the notebook out for him. He pointed the device at the notebook and captured a scan of the page. Thank you he gestured. Later, in his quarters, he calibrated the device to play back the music. It was a complicated melody but Narek felt it was rather nice, beautiful actually. She can hear your soul... Was this the sound of his soul? He felt relieved that it was beautiful. It made him feel good that Enid perceived his soul as beautiful.


	6. Chapter 6

Narek arranged to meet Missy for a working lunch at the church the next day-Narek was buying. When he returned to the check point he was informed that Ni’ael wanted to see him. He was led to a large shed at the edge of the settlement. A man was bound and kneeling in the center of the room. His face was swollen and blood spilled out of the man’s mouth, ears, and nose. Besides Ni’ael there were two lieutenants and a man who looked human but Narek suspected he had been surgically altered. The shed was sparsely furnished. A desk, some chairs. There were several tools on the wall that Narek recognized. It didn’t look like Ni’ael was using any of these. 

“Look at this Vulcan!” Ni’ael spun and kicked the man in the head, “He thinks he can spy on us!” This was the first time he had seen Ni’ael violent and it was clear that the blonde Southerner was enjoying himself. The Vulcan fell over. Ni’ael signaled his lieutenants to pick the man up again. Ni’ael kicked him again. 

“How rude!” Narek regarded the spy with disdain. Vulcan Intelligence was not a good sign. He wanted to ask if this had to do with Enid but didn’t get a chance. Ni’ael walked to the desk, picked up a disrupter and fired at the Vulcan’s head. He motioned for the lieutenants to remove the body. The three men remained. 

He turned to Narek, “I want you to meet someone,” he said, placing the disrupter down. He gestured towards the human, “This is Hieko. He’s the guidance counselor at Enid’s school.” 

Enid was definitely the mission. How did Narek figure into it? Finally Narek thought he was going to find out. Narek nodded at the man. 

“Dr. Hansen,” he said. “That is what they know me by.” The older man had grey hair, pleasant face and was slightly overweight. 

“Is S’ril Vulcan?” Narek asked boldly.

“Yes.” Ni’ael said laconically. Narek bristled at the confirmation. What the hell was a Vulcan doing raising a Romulan hybrid? Again he wondered about Enid’s defensive gesture in the library. Was S’ril abusive? 

“Enid is Romulan,” Hieko stated, unaware of the conversation raging in Narek’s mind. 

“He knows,” said Ni’ael.

“Of course,” Heiko said shaking his head, “Why else would he ask about S’ril. Well, except half the settlement believes he might be Romulan.” The older man chuckled. 

“And he knows who Enid’s father is,” Ni’ael slapped Narek on the back, “Don’t you?” 

Careful Narek, he cautioned himself. This was a test. “Plutarch,” Narek ventured. Had he crossed a line? Ni’ael was hard to read. Narek knew that if Ni’ael wanted him dead there was little hope he’d escape. It didn’t make sense though. Why introduce him to Heiko then kill him. No, he wasn’t going to die today. Narek was relieved. 

“All that remains,” Ni’ael said slowly, “Is to determine if Narek wants to work with us.” 

“I don’t understand,” Narek said, sizing up Ni’ael. He wasn’t going to die but there was probably a beating coming. He had made a misstep, failed a test. In a fluid motion, Ni’ael had Narek in a headlock. 

“Your sister,” Ni’ael tightened his grip on Narek’s neck, “ She’s been trying to contact you, why?” 

“Fuck, Narissa!” Narek gasped. If Narissa ruined this for him, and he survived, he was going to hunt her down. She was going to pay. Ni’ael released Narek who fell to his knees. 

“Are you working with her?” Ni’ael grabbed Narek’s hair. “Are you trying to help her?” 

“No!” Narek shouted, “I don’t even open her messages!” He desperately wanted to grab Ni’ael’s hand, to disengage it from his hair but he knew that would make things much worse. This was a test that Narek knew how to pass. 

Without releasing Narek’s hair, Ni’ael squatted next to him, “You don’t open the messages?” he asked incredulously, carefully studying Nareks face. 

“No,” Narek took a deep breath, “I don’t want to see her again.” he didn’t make eye contact, “She left me there. I cleaned up her mess. I found Seb-Cheneb and she left me there.” He was breathing hard. What did she do now? How had she managed to piss off his benefactor? 

“See Ni’ael? The boy doesn’t even know.” Hieko snickered. “Show him the message.”

Ni’ael released Narrek’s hair, stood and lifted him by his collar dragging him to the desk. He shoved Narrek’s face into a tablet. 

For you, Love-N

S’ril to proceed to DS6. Girl unaffected. S’ril unable to meld. 

Ni’ael shoved Narek to the floor. He remained there. “Oh’s going to make an example of Narissa, She’s going to take the fall for the rescue fleet being destroyed.” Ni’ael explained that the Tal Shiar had not been able to fully censor the news that the Zaht Vash destroyed the rescue fleet. That people from all walks of life--powerful people, ordinary people, military, even Tal Shiar--were angry. There were calls for justice that could not be ignored. Narissa was going to be the scapegoat. “There’s a shit storm coming for her! She’s going to wish that XB had killed her! I need to make sure that you are not compromised.” 

He hadn’t opened Narissa’s messages. There was really no way to verify that since Narek knew there were ways he could have read the messages without appearing to open them. Shit! His primary rule about keeping secrets from himself! Shit! His self indulgent stunt was going to cost him. If he had been the one to bring that message to Ni’ael, that would have been different. What were his feelings towards Narissa? Narissa has the patience of a hungry targ. She is dangerous to herself and anyone around her but did he want her dead? Family was foundational to Romulans. It was one of the few safe spaces in Romulan society. Narissa violated that ideal decades ago, he thought to himself. No he was not compromised. Enid was good, worth preserving while Narissa was damaged and corrupt. 

“I’m not compromised.” Narek looked Ni’ael in the eye. Ni’ael held his gaze for a few moments and nodded as he extended his arm towards Narek who took it. He pulled Narek up but then grabbed his upper arm tightly, “See to it that you don’t become compromised.” He let the threat hang.

“Good then that’s settled,” Hieko’s good natured voice cut the tension, “There is much to discuss,” Hieko waved towards the door, “But do we have to talk in a shed? Surely there is someplace more comfortable?” 

The men returned to Ni’ael’s office and Heiko suggested that they eat. “You should really reply to your sister,” He said as he poured himself some whiskey. Narek looked at Ni’ael for guidance who made a deferential gesture towards the older man. “She’s going to get despret soon,” he continued, “Desperate people can be useful.” 

“Or deadly,” Ni’ael said flatly. He had considered Narissa to be a deal breaker but Heiko had insisted that the young man would be up for the task. Lorlani too had insisted that Narek was their guy. Lorlani was gifted, although nothing like Enid, and Ni’ael trusted her instincts. Ni’ael couldn’t help but smile when he thought of Lorlani. She could be kind, she could be cruel. Regardless she was brilliant and beautiful. She was his. 

Heiko shrugged. He explained that Narek had been right and Plutarch was Enid’s father. He had learned of her existence when her first symphony was published. Her mother’s name was mentioned in a scholarly paper that had been written about Enid which triggered an alarm and he did the math. At the time though, considering the crisis facing the Empire, he figured the girl was better off out of harm's way. He had visited the colony a few times in disguise, even starting a causal relationship with her girl’s teacher who also gave him regular reports. 

The girl seemed well cared and happy so he left well enough alone. She was disabled and would not have a place in Romulan society anyhow. Then rumors of the White Witch of Kiara Station had reached him, he placed Hieko in place to monitor the situation. Heiko had been one of Plutarch’s commanding officers during his early days in the military and was now a trusted advisor. When Heiko confirmed and even expanded upon Enid’s abilities, Plutarch sent in Ni’ael. 

“She can manipulate energy,” Narek asked, “Can she manipulate matter?”

Hieko cued up a recording that had been made of Enid. She was in a cave that was a back entrance to the ruins. There was a pool. The lighting was not great so Narek squinted but it looked like there were hundreds of pebbles hovering at various heights above the pool. The pebbles then dropped into the pool few at a time creating a haunting melody. 

“Incredible,” Narek breathed. Heiko explained that Enid often left school to spend time in the cave.

“She’s lonely,” he hypothesised, “Her brother’s gone off to school, Missy’s left, and Rone is overworked at the infirmary.” He explained that while most people in the settlement liked the girl, she had few friends outside of Rone and Missy. The past few years that relationship had been strained, “They both are in love with her.” 

“She seems to like Raelyn,” Narek observed.

“She’s attracted to Raelyn as a mother figure; she fantasizes about her mother often,” Heiko said. 

“What are her nightmares about?” 

“I think they are mostly related to the supernova,” Heiko pulled up images of drawings Enid had done. None were as horrific as the one Narek unfolded but some were disturbing. These depicted people being killed by falling buildings, fires, even apparent starvation. Others were halcyon depictions of people involved in various aspects of Romulan everyday life. “All these people are verified to exist,” Heiko said, scrolling through the images, “She has other nightmares that she doesn’t talk about.” Heiko felt that those were the ones she folded. 

“What do we know about S’ril’s illness?” Narek felt there was so much to process here. 

“We don’t know anything,” Ni’ael inserted, “The real question we need to figure out is why S’ril is raising a Romulan hybrid.” He punched a few controls on his desk and a holographic image sprang to life. S’ril led Enid down stone steps into a chamber. There were three other Vulcans waiting in the chamber. One held a knife. Enid’s eyes were not their usual deep violet but black with no visible sclera. She demonstrated no awareness of her surroundings. S’ril stood behind Enid and extended her arm towards the man with the knife who took her hand. The man drew the blade across her palm slicing a blazing red line in her alabaster skin. Enid’s eyes cleared and she let out a shriek. She struggled against S’ril who tried to hold her against his chest. 

“Papa please!” she cried over and over, her arms and legs struggled against the mass of the giant Vulcan. The sandy haired Vulcan with the knife tried to place his hand over her mouth. Enid bit him. A short dark haired man stepped forward and subdued her with a hypospray to the neck. S’ril caught her in his arms. She wasn’t unconscious, terror emanated from her eyes as S’ril carried her to the wall and the dark haired Vulcan placed her hand on a petroglyph. A door materialized. Enid started to shake violently. S’ril placed her on the ground and shed his cloak. He wrapped her up tightly then left her on the floor before joining the other Vulcans in the secret room. The three Romulans watched as the holographic Enid’s shaking settled and she drifted to sleep. Ni’ael fast forwarded the recording to the part where the Vulcans left the room. S’ril gathered the sleeping Enid bundle in his arms and left. 

“What’s in the room?” Narek asked.

“We don’t know,” Ni’ael said, “The door only responds to Enid’s blood apparently.” Narek thought that would explain why S’ril hadn’t left with the girl. The ruins were important. 

Ni’ael told Narek that S’ril was a former Vulcan Intelligence officer. His wife had suffered a rare illness and left him with an infant son. He retired and married Dinih a year later. Dinih was three months pregnant with Enid at the time. The marriage didn’t last long and S’ril was awarded sole custody of the child. “There are no records of our people ever being here but the ruins definitely have Romulan imagery.” Ni’ael could see this intrigued Narek, “Part of the reason you were tapped for this,” he said. It was agreed that Narek should pay a visit to the ruins as soon as possible. 

“We looked into legal avenues for custody,” Heiko explained, “It would be a lengthy process and Enid’s identity would be known to Plutarch’s rivals. She would be vulnerable.

“She’s obviously in danger! Why don’t we just take her into custody?” Narek was aware that arguing with Heiko was a bad move but couldn’t stop himself. Heiko and Ni’ael exchanged knowing glances. Narek didn’t understand all that was happening but knew they had to get Enid off this world. 

“Heiko believes it would be damaging to the girl,” Ni’ael responded, his tone suggesting that he was in favor of Narek’s idea. 

“She’s always thought she was Vulcan,” he began, “She would resist. She has a wide range of abilities and she can be formidable when she needs to be.” 

“Enid has never done anything violent,” Ni’ael pointed out.

“She is emotionally unstable,” Heiko reiterated, “Born telepaths generally are but Enid is also telekinetic. Moreover she has the ability to control the minds of animals.”

“I think we could take a little bird crap,” Ni’ael said sarcastically. 

“Bird crap?” Narek was curious. 

“Enid can bend birds to her will,” Heiko looked amused. He explained, “The Fisher boy torments Enid at every turn. She is usually pretty good at ignoring him but sometimes…” He tapped a code into a panel on the wall, “You’re going to like this.” The screen came to life. Heiko had recorded all his sessions with Enid. “Let me make sure the translator is working.” He tapped a few more buttons, “Ah, here we go…” 

“Enid,” Hiekos voice came from off screen, “Jimmy Fisher claims you are making the birds eliminate on him. Is this true?”

The fifteen year old Enid laughed and looked sheepish. She signed, “That sounds fantastical!” 

“That’s not an answer…”

Enid turned her head and glanced at him sideways. She signed, “Maybe the birds just know he’s a shit head?” she offered before burying her face into a cushion to cover unrestrained laughter. 

“Language!” Heiko had admonished but it was clear that he didn’t intend any consequences. “Enid look at me…” He paused until Enid lifted her face which was contorted by the struggle to control her laughter. “The boy has been, let’s say, abused,” Enid snorted a loud laugh, “--by birds more times this week than can be accounted for in a natural course of things... I’m just saying that it’s remarkable. The staff thinks it would be nice if it stopped.” 

Enid tried to make a straight face and nodded before bursting into laughter again. There was no more to the session. 

“The birds did stop shitting on the prat but sometimes she does make them flock in trees near him. Just to remind him not to fuck with her I think,” he told Narek with obvious affection. 

“Why don’t you just tell her the truth?” He asked, “You seem to have a good relationship with her.” 

“You saw how she reacted to S’ril’s lie about his trip,” Heiko began, “I’ve been her counselor for years. She’s confided in me. I think she would destabilize.” 

“Rone thinks she knows,” Narek began, “That she is hiding it from herself.” 

“Possibly,” Heiko agreed, “I don’t think she will give it up easily. She’s considered herself histories only stupid Vulcan her entire life. You’d think she’d be happy to drop it but she wears it like a badge.”

“A badge of honor? She’s proud of it?” Narek knew she wasn’t stupid. 

“Not quite,” Heiko believed that she rather liked being underestimated at times since she could get away with more, “She has a rebellious streak.” Narek could make use of a rebellious streak in addition to a complicated relationship with her supposed father and a mysterious love triangle between her best friends. If the girl was lonely all the better. This mix was all psychological gold. Narek thought he could work with this. 

“She’s vulnerable here,” Ni’ael concluded, “We won’t have a reason to maintain a presence once the synths arrive. She has to come with.”

Narek understood. He had experience with ticking bombs. 

***

Narek had been provided with access to Enid’s recorded therapy sessions, school records, and juvenile records. Enid had multiple curfew and trespassing citations, mostly from her nocturnal excursions to the station. Her school records indicated profound learning difficulties, emotional disturbances, and truancy. Her teacher indicated that she thought Enid was intelligent but had deficits in working memory and attention. Enid did have one incidence of destruction of property that Narek found interesting. 

According to the incident report, Enid had a personal holo aide to assist her with accessing the curriculum at her school. She had originally been assigned a human aide but her teachers found that Enid would telepathically read answers to questions. She couldn’t read a hologram. Somehow, Enid had learned about the Delta Quadrant holograms that rebelled against their creators. This had got her thinking about whether her own holo assistant would hurt her so she decided to test her aide’s loyalty by embarking on a campaign of terror against it. Her behavior became so erratic that the program started deleting itself. In Narek’s estimation, the tactic was all Romulan. 

Narek was given five years of recorded therapy sessions that Heiko had conducted. This would take some time to review but Heiko had flagged sessions that he thought would interest the young operative. He checked the transponder. Each time Missy made another contact or interacted with any system, the little worm worked its way through that as well. The amount of data was increasing exponentially each hour. He should ask Ni’ael for some manpower to process the results. He took a deep breath smiling on the exhale. It was the first time in years that he felt in control of his own destiny. He contemplated Heiko’s advice about contacting Narrisa but put it off. He had hours of material to go through. He started organizing the information that he had. Missy was a prolific writer and it appeared, a consummate networker. Her contact list was extensive and included politicians, admirals, scientists and merchants. She had been busy in the two years since she left the colony. Narek turned to her personal logs. About an hour into his work, he received a hail from Narissa. Reluctantly, he answered it.

“What,” it wasn’t a question but a warning.

“Dear brother!” the Narissa hologram cooed. It occurred to Narek that Narissa had no idea what was going to happen. He was suddenly the one with the information, the access, the power. It felt good. She pressed him about his mission but he gave up nothing. He was pleased until Narissa asked, “Why do you suppose a Romulan hybrid is being raised by a Vulcan intelligence agent?” Narek felt a chill down his spine. Narrissa cut the connection leaving Narek sick. Maybe she had found an ally? 

Narek contemplated. Could Ni’ael be wrong? He doubted that. More likely, news about Enid’s relationship to Plutarch had been discovered by his rivals. One of them found a way to delay the “shit storm,” in exchange for access to Narek and possibly Enid. He went to tell Ni’ael. 

“It’s good that you came to me,” Ni’ael agreed with Nareks assessment. Ni’ael’s quarters were nice. Probably not what he was used to but far from the crude dwelling that had been assigned to Narek. From his apartment, Ni’ael could see over the ugly wall into the settlement. “See out there?” he gestured expansively, “So much intrigue. Think about it...a Vulcan Intelligence, probably Federation Security, Section 31, the Orion syndicate and Tal Shiar.” 

“Good thing the Obsidian Order is defunct, I suppose,” Narek drawled. Ni’ael regarded the younger man. It was the first indication of humor he had seen from him. He remembered what it was like to be Narek. The younger man was finding his footing. He smiled. 

“I’m thinking Oh is hoping to get her hands on Enid and hopes that you can get her that access.” 

“Is Oh a rival?” Narek asked simply, more to further the conversation than to verify a fact he already knew.

“At Plutarch’s level, everyone is a rival. Oh was the only one who could have stayed Narissa’s execution. If Oh could control Enid, that would be quite a victory for her.” He didn’t say that Oh hoped to avert what was coming from her. Throwing Narissa to the wolves would only postpone her day of reckoning. 

“What are Plutarch’s plans with Enid?” Narrek ventured. 

“That’s above your pay grade,” Ni’ael did not appear angry. “You are worried she will be exploited?” Lorlani had predicted this response from Narek. She had been on the same transport and had seen the way the boy Narek had stepped in to protect the little girl Enid. She also noted the way he had related to the mute abino child. Narek didn’t know of course, no one knew Lorlani had almost not made it off world in time. Ni’ael hated to think that he might have been deprived of Lorlani, of his daughters. The Romulan system had failed even the most elite. 

Ni’ael poured two drinks and passed one to Narek. “Of course Enid will have to make herself useful to her father as any good daughter would,” he regarded the younger man soberly, “I do believe Plutarch is committed to offering her a little flexibility, afterall she has many talents.” 

Narek sipped the blue liquid. Children, particularly for the ultra elite were expected to be assets to their families. He wondered how Enid would react to that. “The girl plans to marry Rone,” he said. 

“You will have to find a way to manage that,” he placed his drink down, “The girl comes with us. We are not leaving here without her and I plan to leave here soon.” 

“What of Narissa?” 

“Heiko believes that Narissa can be useful.” 

“And you?” 

“She’s trouble,” Ni’ael had met many people like Narrissa. Ambitious and daring but impatient and clumsy. “She has no subtlety and frankly, she’s beneath you.” Ni’ael told Narek to stand by regarding Narissa. He wanted to run a few scenarios past his superiors. Narek wondered if that meant Heiko or if he were referring to Plutarch. 

From his window, Ni’ael watched as Narek made his way back to his quarters. Family was central to the Romulan psyche, even more so after the supernova. Woud Narek be able to stand by and watch his sister go down in flames? More importantly, would he push his sister into the flames if that became necessary? It was important to get Narek to bond with the girl. He considered the delicate looking young woman. She was young for a Romulan, barely at the age of majority but Narek was too at barely thirty. She had an excotic beauty. Those eyes! Narek could do worse. Actually, Ni’ael decided that Narek couldn’t do any better, not with the dead weight of his sister dragging him down. Enid’s rank would make her attractive to many ambitious young men who wanted to advance their careers, despite her disability. 

Ni’ael had studied Narek’s psych report. He was an idealist. He believed in the mission and purpose of the Tal Shiar. The younger man already had an attachment to the child Enid was but Ni’ael worried that he would never be attracted to the woman she had become. If Narek bonded with Enid, that would cement his alliance with Plutarch, surely the man would figure that out? Then Ni’ael would be certain Narek could be trusted, that he wouldn’t betray them to save his sister. Maybe Ni’ael should share some of his own experience of bonding with a telepath? 

Ni’ael wasn’t an idealist. He had found the Tal Shiar attractive because he liked pounding flesh and the Tal Shiar provided an acceptable outlet for his urges. He made a fist and examined it. Killing that Vulcan had been fun. If he couldn’t be with Lorlani at least he could find some physical satisfaction. Yes, Ni’ael knew he was a flawed person but Lorlani had somehow seen nobility in him. At first Plutarch resisted his beloved niece's choice in lover but he relented eventually, taking the young man under his wing. Plutarch taught him how to moderate his instincts and his star rose. He owed so much to Lorlani. He missed his wife. She would want another child soon and he looked forward to finishing up this business to get started on that mission.


	7. Chapter 7

The ground shook. Enid saw people scrambling for cover. The grey buildings on either side of the street crumbled and a crevasse opened in the center of the road. She saw a woman pinned under the facade of a building, her vacant eyes staring at nothing. She was dead. In her arms was a young girl with green blood dripping from her pointed ears. Also dead. Enid screamed…

Enid’s eyes flew open and she sat up. Missy was awake, watching her friend anxiously. Enid buried her head in Missy’s breasts and cried softly. Missy folded herself around her fragile friend. It was heartbreaking. Enid had endured these nightmares nearly every night for as long as she could remember. Rocking in tempo, she sang softly in her ear in Galic:

Ar mhullach an tí -- At the top of the house  
Tá síoga geala -- There are bright fairies  
Fá chaoin ré an earraigh -- Playing and disporting  
Ag imirt a spóirt -- Under the soft moonlight  
Is seo iad aniar -- Here they come now

Enid’s breathing slowed...Missy’s contralto voice continued softly…

Chun glaoigh ar mo leanbh -- To call my child  
Le mian é tharraingt -- Wishing to lure him  
Isteach sa lios mór -- Into the big fairy fort  
Goirm tú, a chroí, -- Bravo, sweetheart

Missy felt her friend’s body relax…Missy had a pleasant voice, nothing like Enid’s, people didn’t come from other settlements to hear her sing but the deep rich tone had lulled her friend to sleep for years...

Ní bhfaighfidh siad do mhealladh -- They will not succeed in enticing you  
Le brí a gcleas -- With the cleverness of their tricks  
Ná le binneas a gceoil -- Or the sweetness of their music  
Táimse led' thaoibh -- I am by your side praying  
Ag guí ort na mbeannacht -- For blessings on you

She untangled the girl's limp limbs and turned her to her side...

Seoithín, a leanbh, -- Seoithin, little one  
Ní himtheo' tú leo -- You will not go with them 

Missy lay spooned alongside Enid brushing the girls silky white hair over her pointed ears. She wondered what Rone had said to Enid in the station? Missy didn’t think that with all of Enid’s struggles it was fair that the girl was cursed with nightmares. Some were prophetic, some were of the supernova. It was hard to say what this one had been. The buildings looked similar to the ones on the other side of the wall but she was sure that the Romulans had chosen familiar architectural styles in construction of the village. 

Like divorced parents, Missy and Rone had scheduled Enid’s time during Missy’s visit to minimize their interaction with each other. Today was Rone’s day. That allowed Missy to concentrate on arrangements and try to figure out that Tal Shiar officer. 

***

Cristobal Rios considered the young Vulcan opposite him. His name was A’den and he was asking for passage to a Kiara, a remote colony. The week long day trip would cost him in terms of lost opportunities. He didn’t know if he could offer a price that would be acceptable to the young man. Also, people generally sought passage on an unregistered ship when they wanted to avoid entanglements. Was this young man in any kind of trouble and how bad? A little trouble was ok, he could handle it. He didn’t want to run into Romulans again. That had almost cost his ship. Raffe would check him out. If anyone could dig up dirt on the potential fair, she would.

“It will be an expensive trip,” he stated. “There are transports that would be more reasonable.” 

“My father is dying,” the Vulcan’s voice conveyed urgency without emotion, “I have to to get back without delay.” The Vulcan explained that his sister, Enid, was fragile. She would need him there to help her cope with the loss. 

“Vulcans are not known for their emotional fragility,” Rios stated. This was suspicious. 

“My sister is not entirely Vulcan,” he said. “She is half Betazoid,” Rios winced. That was a rare and unfortunate combination, he knew. A’den showed him a picture. He had only once heard of an albino Vulcan. Years ago, he remembered reading about a musical prodigy but he couldn’t remember her name. The young woman in the picture was about twenty he guessed and quite striking actually. Those eyes! 

“She isn’t that composer, is she?” he asked. 

“Indeed,” A’den confirmed, “We may need passage after my father passes. I’m not sure where yet, ” he went on, “She has special needs…” Enid was a musical prodigy but that had come at a cost. She was a born telepath. “She needs a quiet, predictable environment. I can not provide that using public transports.” He didn’t say that he would quite likely be running from an obscure Vulcan order, the Tal Shiar, and possibly other shaddy organizations. He wasn’t sure how this would go. His sister had to come with him. The alternative was unthinkable. She couldn’t fall into the wrong hands.

“I can’t necessarily guarantee a predictable passage,” space was quiet for sure. A fact that Agnes had often reminded him. He was pleased that Agnes was serving as his medical officer. She made him laugh. “Space travel is by nature unpredictable.” 

“Understood,” the Vuclan acknowledged. He passed a tablet towards Rios, “I can pay.” 

Rios examined the pad. It was a letter of deposit that guaranteed that his potential fare had the funds. “I have to have my people confirm your identity…If you check out, I’ll contact you.”

“Please,” the Vulcan stood, “Time is short.” Rios assured the man he’d contact him within a day. Raffe was able to confirm A’den’s story but did note that his sister had a rather long juvenile record. Nothing serious and Rios dismissed it as youthful mischief common to many adolescents in remote colonies. When the Vulcan agreed to the fare Rios thought finally, he had a nice quiet mission with a paying customer and possibly a return fare at an equally advantageous rate. A’den was an archeologist as was his father. The girl was an important composer. Picard would enjoy this trip for sure!

A’den was relieved. He hoped that he could get there in time. He hoped he could convince his father’s colleagues that Enid needed him to replace his father. That would be the best option for his sister. 

***

Narek showed up at the church at midday bringing food from the diner. Missy was finishing up a press conference in front of the church so he stayed out of sight until the cameras were gone. 

“I can’t imagine being seen with me will help your cause,” he said. 

Missy shrugged, “We want to engage with our Romulan neighbors,” but no, Narek was not the Romulan to be seen with, she supposed. The two went into the small chapel that was aside from the main church where Missy had baptised Enid much to the dismay of S’ril. The girls were eleven and Rone who was thirteen at the time had been a witness. There were no God parents but Rone and Missy promised each other that they would always look after Enid, effectively assuming that role. Missy didn’t tell Narek all that of course. She enjoyed the little chapel in the afternoon. The stained glass rosetta faced west and could be seen at it’s best advantage then. 

“Are we allowed to eat here?” Narek asked. Romulan sacred sites were subject to many rules. This room didn’t appear set up for eating. 

“I don’t think God minds as long as we clean up after ourselves.” 

“So we were talking about your interest in synthetics,” Narek started as he studied the motifs on the walls and the windows. He couldn’t have been raised by Ramdha and not have been curious about the iconography. 

“Ok, there are two reasons.” Missy started, “First, I believe the motives behind their construction are purely evil.” She believed that the Copellious synths had been constructed out of hubris and pride was a mortal sin. The synths that the Fishers were bringing in were created to be slaves which she felt that it was morally bankrupt.

“I’ve read a little of your holy book,” Narek said, “Your patriarchs had slaves.” 

“Well, it’s a very old book,” Missy retorted, “Societies change and the church condemned the practice eons ago.” Narek wondered if hyperbole ran in the family. It had not been ‘eons’ ago. Missy wondered if she had touched on a hot topic. Romulans still practiced slavery, or at least they did before the supernova. 

“You said there was another reason,” Narek pressed.

“Mostly because of people like Enid,” Missy glanced away at the window. Missy embarked on a diatribe of how enhancing the cognitive functioning of humanoids was prohibited because of the ancient eugenics wars on Earth. Some people still do it and no war has broken out. The parents of these children go to jail. They break the law and they do their time. As it should be. Soong and Maddox broke the law but they got a pass. 

“Maddox is dead.”

“But Soong lives on Coppelius as a king and you know why? Because some retired admiral has a sentimental attachment to a Soong type synth!” Missy paced the length of the altar. “If it had been widely known that Lor had killed so many people, research might have been banned decades before the Coppelius synths were created.” 

“But then the Federation would not have slave labor,” Narek commented.

“There are definite economic pressures to be sure,” Missy conceded, “But there are for humanoid enhancement as well… If we could better fix cognitive issues people like my friend could have more independence. You know, she was..is a talented gymnast but she no longer competes since what’s the point? There’s no one left here that can best her and she’s not able to go off world independently.” 

“Couldn’t someone go with her?” 

“Her father won’t allow it and he won’t go,” Missy threw her hands up and sat on a step. She continued shaking her head, “and don’t ask about that one-her, dad is a prick.” 

Narek smiled. “You are a zealot.” he surmised. 

“Aren’t you?” Missy countered. Narek shrugged

Narek decided to check out the ruins. His path went past the bakery. A crowd in front of the bakery to watch as Enid, seated in the front window, decorating a large cake. He could see why people had gathered. She worked quickly and two doves with wings intertwined took shape on the cake. Of course there were news drones bobbing about so Narek didn’t stay to watch but slipped into the background. 

He found the spot where the events depicted in the molecular reconstruction had occurred. The pattern over the stairwell seemed familiar. He fiddled with the pendant around his neck. Enid had given it to him in exchange for the small toy from his tan zekran. She had opened the puzzle box and he felt she should keep the toy but she insisted that he accept a token from her as well. He took it from around his neck. It’s design was similar to the patterns on the wall but appeared to be broken. If the girl spent time in the ruins, it is likely she picked it up here. He tucked the pendant back into his shirt and wondered what that meant. Otherwise the ruins did not offer up new information.


	8. Chapter 8

Rone opened the door, placed his hand on the small of Enid’s back and guided her into the pub. Enid wore an oversized pink sweater that fell off one shoulder. She had denim leggings and high heel brown boots. Enid rarely wore form fitting clothing except when coaching. Then of course she wore a unitard under her team jacket. He had walked her to the gym after she finished the cake. Enid loved working with the younger children. 

Narek had been glumly following the couple since late afternoon. He caught up with them at the gym where Enid coached the junior gymnastics team. After watching her warm up on the uneven bars, he realized that this was something that Enid was indeed an expert at. Unlike her music, which was an innate ability, this was something Enid had learned successfully and could teach others to do. This must be quite satisfying for the girl he concluded. 

Narek’s little worm had worked its way to Rone’s PCD and Narek activated it so he could hear any conversation but the pair seemed to communicate solely using telepathy. Undeterred, Narek decided this would be a good opportunity to practice and hone his ability to read body language. Finally, he concluded that that spying on telepaths was just plain boring. Ill-tempered, he sat in a booth at the back of the pub watching the couple. He fiddled with a puzzle in one hand under the table. 

The pub was bustling from the extra foot traffic brought as media outlets and interested parties on each side of the synth issue arrived for the scheduled protests and counter protests. The couple had been greeted warmly by the pub's regular customers and staff. They danced to Irish folk music. The pair even sang a few well loved songs. Enid’s clear, strong singing voice surprised Narek, who had only heard her croak out a few awkward words. Her voice was as Tom described and Narek found his mind conjured images of wee folk dancing in a glade. In his distraction, Narek dropped his puzzle. He chided himself as he reached under the table to retrieve it but then he noticed a familiar form that appeared to be following the couple all day. He was a Vulcan or perhaps a Romulan but Ni’ael had confirmed he wasn’t theirs. Narek tried to contain his excitement. It would make the evening more fun, he mused, if he could spy on the spy that was spying on Enid while spying on Enid. He smirked, that would put the evening back on track. 

“No, No!” Rone was refusing to perform another song. “Food’s here!” The young man pointed to his booth as proof. The waitress, (another O’Dare), was placing their order on the table. The couple ate in silence except for the occasional laugh, giggle or kiss. 

“An inside joke,” Narek grumbled to himself. When the couple left, Narek watched the Vulcan. Would he follow? Narek hoped for the affirmative and delighted when the other spy slipped out after the couple. 

They walked leisurely for a few blocks before turning down a side street. Rone led Enid through an alley to a small blue house and entered through the gate on the side. There was a large bonfire in the yard and Narek guessed that most of the young people around were about Rones age. The young medic shook hands with several of the men and Enid received multiple hugs before they settled on a bench close to the fire. The music that blasted from speakers on the porch was not the traditional Irish songs that dominated the pub but music that was popular among the young people of the settlement. Narek recognized some of the lyrics as Romulan pop music. A horgl made its way around the gathering. Enid took a couple hits and passed it. Narek frowned, there were no Romulan rehab centers for a reason, the use of intoxicants beyond alcohol was strictly prohibited. Hopefully the girl was not dependent on the use of the plant as that would be something else to be managed. To Narek’s relief the couple excused themselves after about an hour. It was warm near the fire but the late winter’s night was still rather chilly. 

Enid and Rone took a leisurely route which Narek knew would lead to Enid’s empty house. Once they had passed the edge of town, Enid skipped ahead on the path, “Hey watch!” She yelled grabbing a rock from along the path and tossing it underhand into the air. When the stone reached its apex, it exploded into a display of sparks which faded as they reached the ground.

“Enid!” Rone closed the distance between himself and the girl, “You shouldn’t do that in public.” He tried to hurry her along.

“You sound like Papa!” Enid scowled, “We’re not in public.” 

“I think we are being followed,” Rone insisted. 

“That’s just the snakeleaf,” her eyes glistened. 

“Can’t you feel a presence?” Rone asked.

“All quiet!” Enid twirled around with her arm out, “Gloriously, blissfully silent!” She grabbed Rone by the shoulders dramatically shaking him, “Do you know what that’s like?” 

Rone slipped his arms under hers lifting her and spinning her around several times, “Tell me love,” he said as he set her down. She stumbled but Rone caught her. They both laughed as Enid pulled him off balance. 

“It’s soooooo quiet!” She said and exploded into giggles. 

Rone kissed her. He liked it when Enid was pleased with herself. Her self esteem could be so fragile at times. Enid launched another rock. “How did you figure that out?” Enid’s mood was contagious, he had been silly, they were alone. 

“Something to do with moving molecules.” She lowered her voice, “You know there were scientists who died in the supernova.” She became serious. 

“Enid,” Rone furrowed his brow, “Can you distinguish identities?” She so infrequently talked about her experience with the supernova. Were these people living inside her mind? 

“It’s not people,” she said, “Just memories.” She seemed to think for a moment, “Or are we just a collection of memories?” She tossed another rock. “What makes a being sentient?” 

“I think there is something more,” Rone said. The two walked without talking for some time. 

“I wonder who I’d be without the supernova?” Enid finally broke the silence. 

“Someone who sleeps better for sure,” Rone offered. 

Snakeleaf allowed the girl to talk but deadened her telepathic abilities. A double edged sword for sure. Narek could at least listen through his earpiece. This allowed him to follow at a greater distance which afforded him the opportunity to spot the three Vulcans, (or Romulans) he reminded himself, who joined the original tail. He positioned himself to listen to the men. 

“What do we do with the boy?” one asked.

“We can implant a memory,” the tail stated, “One that would implicate the Romulans.” 

So Vulcans, but who were they? Vulcan’s didn’t typically abduct Federation citizens. Was that their plan? Take Enid while S’ril was off world. Did the men have a hand in S’ril’s illness? he wondered. Narek fell back so he could report this new development. He didn’t underestimate Vulcans, they were as strong as Romulans and disciplined. It was better to bring in Ni’ael. 

Ni’ael brought four agents with him, evidently he didn’t underestimate Vulcans either. The Vulcans had taken positions around the house. Ni’ael wanted to take at least one alive for questioning. Narek took two agents to the west side of the house and Ni’ael the east. Ni’ael would have enjoyed a good brawl but he knew that the teams needed to work quietly to dispatch the Vulcans. Hopefully, he’d get one or two for fun later. They split up flanking the house, dispatching the Vulcans without rousing the occupants. 

“Take him,” Ni’ael pointed, indicating the surviving but unconscious Vulcan. Two agents transported out with their prisoner. Ni’ael poured molecular solvent on the other three. 

The light had gone on in the solarium. It was a long room, heavily planted with a pool in the center. There was a concrete platform at one end of the pool which S’ril used for meditation but Enid used it to dive into the reflection pool which S’ril had made deep enough for this purpose. Enid and Rone had shed their clothing. The four remaining men watched as Rone chased a laughing Enid through the foliage. Running to the platform, Enid did an armstand dive into the pool. 

“Nice form,” one of the agents stated. Narek and Ni’ael looked at the man. He was a tall solid Northerner with dark skin. “The dive,” the man clarified. 

“What’s your name?” Ni’ael asked.

“Fank,” the man replied, still studying the albino and her paramour. Rone dove in after and caught her at the shallow side of the pool. He circled her in his arms and kissed her hard. She then slid up the edge. Rone kissed her knee and worked his way up her inner thigh. She rested on her arms, throwing her head back with pleasure. 

“We need more men on Enid’s tail.” Ni’ael commented. Fank snickered.

“You keep Fank here,” Ni’ael smiled, “I have an interrogation to conduct.” 

“Patrol the perimeter,” Narek ordered after Ni’ael left. He wanted to get a look inside if he could. He saw the man still staring at the young couple. “The outside of the house,” Narek slapped him in the chest hard. 

“Yes, sir!” Fank snapped to attention. Narek liked the sound of that. He moved to the front entrance. They didn’t even lock the door! Narek shook his head and entered the residence. He found his way through the residence to what he judged from the decor was Enid’s room. Even with the lights out he could see it was an explosion of pink. He closed the blinds. Above the bed was a life sized poster of a Romulan pop singer. Narek didn’t know his name but thought the band's name was Supernova. Medals for gymnastics hung in display cases on the walls. He checked the computer workstation but there was nothing of interest. Where does a girl who doesn’t write or speak keep her secrets? He wondered to himself. She had volumes of sheet music in large notebooks and more notebooks of drawings. These might be useful but it would take hours to scan them all. It would probably take years of analysis to understand. A ledge ran the length of the room. Enid had various equine statues, some had wings, some had horns, some had wings and horns. Nervously he tapped the ledge. He listened. It was hollow. He tapped the wall softly almost absentmindedly, it too was hollow. Something caught his eye under the workstation. He crawled under the desk. There was a small hole in the corner. 

He pulled at the hole with his finger and a panel opened. Paper fell out, folded paper. He craned his neck to see into the cramped space and shined a light. The wall was filled with folded paper. There were hundreds of drawings, folded up and placed in a wall never to see the light of day. He thought about the courier who had shot himself. What sort of horrors was Enid hiding here? Narek sank back on his heels to think. He couldn’t take all the drawings that night so he closed the panel. He didn’t know if Enid looked at her horde and didn’t want to tip her off if she did. He left making sure to open the blinds again before easing his way out of the room and down the hall. He could hear Enid and Rone diving and swimming and laughing unaware of his presence. 

The rest of the house was decorated in typical Vucan style. Minimalist but pleasant. Narek noticed holo emitters in each room and the hallways then remembered that Heiko had said that S’ril utilized a medical holo as Enid’s primary care physician. S’ril never signed release forms allowing the school to collect medical information on Enid, not even vision and hearing screenings. S’ril supplied that information certified by a Vulcan doctor named S’lar. Narek opened drawers in the desk and looked through the closet. Nothing. The laughter grew louder and Narek froze. The couple was evidently done with their swim. 

“You’re naughty,” He heard Rone tease. “I don’t think… I mean in your dad’s bed?” 

Shit, shit, shit! thought Narek. He tried the window. No luck. Damn, Damn, he could hear them getting closer. Closet it is, he decided just in time. The couple burst into the room. He could hear his targets flop on the mattress. This was not how he wanted to spend the rest of his night but there was nothing to do about it. He remained crouched in the closet until the two lovers finished. He couldn’t use a personal transport. There would be a flash that might attract the lover’s attention.

“I love you,” Rone moaned as Enid snuggled into the crook of his arm. 

“Love you too,” Enid said, the snakeleaf had not completely worn off yet. “Let’s just go,” she said sleepily. 

“Where?” Rone stroked her hair.

“Away,” she said, “There are lots of transports, we could just stow away.” 

“And how would we live?” 

“We’d get by,” Enid said, “We need to leave here.” She shivered and Rone pulled the sheet over them.

“You think something bad is going to happen.” Rone commented. 

“Very,” Enid’s voice shook, “I don’t know what, but soon.” 

“Now who’s affected by snakeleaf?” Rone kissed her on the back of the head. He reached around and touched cupped her breast, his finger and thumb playing with her nipple. Rone was young and his Cardassian heritage gave him a boost of virility. Narek rolled his eyes and inwardly groaned. The closet was getting uncomfortable and he had research to do. He was relieved when they finally fell asleep. Stealing a quick look at the intertwined bodies on his way out he admitted to himself that the girl was well proportioned. 

Fank greeted him with a smirk outside. “Impressive stamina don’t you think?” he commented. Narek wordlessly left Fank to guard the girl. 

Back in his quarters, he decided he was making progress. He still didn’t know how to deal with Rone, but they had foiled the Vulcan plan. He wondered about Enid’s feeling of foreboding. Was it a side effect of the snakeleaf? 

***  
Picard was looking forward to this trip. He was listening to one of Enid’s compositions. The prodigy had fascinated scholars for more than a decade and now he was meeting her. What a mystery! A born telepath? Would she be like Tam? He hoped not. He knew he could download every bit of information and research on born telepaths but understood that it would not prepare him for his encounter. Data had explained the difference between the theoretical and experiential in his endeavor to learn the game of poker. He decided to ring his old friend, Deanna Troi. 

“Jean Luc!” Deanna greeted him warmly, “What a pleasant surprise!”

“Long overdue!” Picard realized that he didn’t contact his old friends as much as he’d like. After asking about Will and Kestra he told his friend about his anticipated encounter with the albino composer he noticed his friend's face fall. “What is the matter?” he asked. 

“I’m familiar with Enid,” she said sadly, “I consulted on her case years ago.” 

“So what can you tell me?” 

“Not much,” she said, taking a deep breath. This was not going to be easy for her friend. He was used to people doing what he wanted, “This isn’t like it was on the Enterprise. With Tam, I could share information with you because of the mission. Lives depended on my candor.” she began. 

“Say no more,” Picard raised his hands, “You are bound by confidentiality.” This was hard for him. 

“I can tell you that the girl had a rather rough start to life,” Deanna said slowly. Picard thought he understood. Vulcan-Betazoid hybrids were usually terminated in the early stages of pregnancy. 

“Her parents must have really wanted her,” he concluded, “It would have been a high risk pregnancy.” Something about Deanna’s expression told him he hadn’t hit the mark. 

“Let’s just say,” Deanna paused as if considering if this was a breach of confidentiality, “That her father wanted her.” Deanna probably shouldn’t have said that much she knew but it was so hard not to be helpful to Jean Luc Picard. Picard carefully considered the information his friend had said in addition to what she hadn’t said. 

“Can you tell me what the best way to talk to the girl is?” Picard shared that he had learned Federation Standard Sign in preparation. 

“You can’t force things with people like Enid,” Deanna told him, “You have to meet a born telepath where they are.” Take it slow Deanna had told him. Don’t expect more than the girl could give. He was still looking forward to the encounter. He turned his attention to the ruins of Kiara Colony. 

A’den settled into his quarters. S’ril had specifically instructed him to secure passage on La Sirena. His father thought that Picard would help in the event that his father’s colleges did not allow A’den to continue his fathers work. In case of that unfortunate event, A’den didn’t know where he could take his sister that would be safe. Several years ago, S’ril had sold the original sheet music from Enid’s first symphony. A’den knew how important Enid’s sheet music was to her, it was her personal journal, but it had fetched a considerable price. He would be able to use the money to hide Enid although he hoped it didn’t become necessary. If it did, he hoped his father’s faith in Picard was warranted. Raffi called him to dinner.

“Your sister is on the news!” Elnor offered A’den a tablet, “She’s very beautiful.” 

A’den regarded the tablet and passed it back to Elnor. Enid was decorating a cake. The news service had picked up the clip as a background story on the colony. The tablet was passed around the table. Soji took a particular interest in the clip. She opened a larger screen and exported the image.

“I don’t believe it,” she said quietly, “What is he doing there?”

“Who?” Raffe asked leaning into the viewscreen. 

“Narek!” Soji froze the screen and enhanced a corner. “Look, there!” She looked upset but A’den couldn’t put a word to the emotion the synthetic woman was feeling. It was fascinating to see how life like her expressions were. 

“Are you sure?” Rios rubbed his chin and examined the image. “I mean there must be a million dark haired, bearded Vulcans as well as Romulans.”

“Believe me,” Soji’s voice shook, “I would recognize Narek.” 

“Who’s Narek?” A’den asked. Why did Soji have such a reaction? Raffe stepped in to explain that Narek was a Tal Shiar agent that had used Soji then tried to kill her. 

“What would Narek be doing on your world?” Soji demanded, “And why would he be watching your sister decorate a cake?”

“With regards to the first question,” A’den began slowly, “There is a small community of Romulans on the planet. The Fisher’s brought them in to work in the mine about four years ago. The Fishers are trying to replace them with a synthetic workforce now.”

“That would attract the Tal Shiar!” Raffe exclaimed. “Wonder what his interest in your sister is?”

“I don’t think you can assume he has a particular interest in my sister,” A’den dissembled, “She’s an artist, composer,” he paused thinking, “she’s also an accomplished gymnast.” 

“None of that would interest the Tal Shiar,” Picard concluded, “It is more likely he is there because of the mine.” 

“So he was just out for a stroll on a nice day?” Raffe was skeptical. 

“Curious,” was all A’den could think to say. This was unexpected. Unexpected and unwelcome. Things were moving faster than he thought. The Tal Shiar was no doubt emboldened by his father’s absence. 

Soji didn’t believe A’den but she didn’t know who to talk to on La Serina. She contacted Arcana on Copellius.

“What would Narek’s interest in this Vulcan be?” Arcana put down a tablet and gave Soji her attention.

“I don’t know,” Soji told her, “But I think this A’den is hiding something.” 

“You said his sister is an albino composer?” Arcana asked. 

“Yes,” Soji responded. Why would Arcana need confirmation. Surely she could check her memory banks. 

“And she is Vulcan?” Arcana leaned into the viewscreen. 

“Is everything ok?” Soji asked slowly. Arcana was acting strange. 

“Yes,” Arcana sat up straight, “I’ll do some research. Maybe there is something that Raffi missed.” Soji shook off her concern. Arcana has always been a careful individual. She wanted to make sure she knew everything about Enid before she conducted her research. Hopefully Arcana would find something useful. Why was Narek interested in Enid?


	9. Chapter 9

Narek watched Enid make her morning delivery from Ni’ael’s window. The two men and Heiko’s hologram were having breakfast and listening to Fank’s update about the early morning events. 

“You didn’t take anything from her room?” Ni’ael asked. Narek had reported on the drawings wedged into the wall. 

“No.” He’d been careful. The men listened to the audio again. It was difficult to be sure what was going on as they only heard one side of the conversation. Not even that, Narek thought, Sort of a quarter of a conversation since there was no telling how much information was conveyed telepathically. Enid seemed to shift between telepathy and sign language for no apparent reason but then born telepaths often had inconsistent abilities. Most were powerful telepaths. Many like Enid, suffered sensory difficulties due to an overload on their brains. Enid didn’t process peoples sub vocalizations consciously but perceived them as music which gave her an empathic quality. All around the young woman could be inconsistent. At times easy going and happy while at other times emotional. 

“Ena, slow down,” Rone's voice was steady. “You’re tying yourself in knots.” Narek was glad that Rone sometimes spoke aloud to Enid but wondered why. Enid had liked to hear her thoughts in her own voice. Maybe if Enid was emotional, verbal interactions were more effective than telepathic? 

Enid could be heard whimpering and huffing atop of the sound of papers being shuffled. At least that is what it sounded like, flipping papers in a notebook. 

“Easy, easy…” Rone soothed. Enid’s breathing had become rapid. She was going to hyperventilate. 

“Her sheet music!” Narek recalled the stacks of notebooks in her room. “I think she’s rifling through her sheet music.” He wished they had visual surveillance inside the residence. 

“I wonder,” Ni’ael began, “S’ril has sold some of her sheet music over the past few years. Maybe he didn’t tell her?” 

“Or she forgot,” Heiko crossed his arms across his chest, ”Her memory has gotten progressively worse over time. Her sheet music is like a journal to her, she might be trying to find a memory of something.” Heiko knew that Enid’s primary language was music. Her sheet music was important to her, it anchored her to her memories, her identity. 

Ni’ael dismissed Fank and Heiko had a meeting to go to at school. Ni’ael turned to Narek, “The synths arrive today,” he said.

***

Before going back through the checkpoint Narek stopped by his quarters. What sheet music had S’ril sold? He punched some keys on the panel on his desk, pulling up auction sights. He scrolled through a few screens until he found what he was looking for. The buyer for each batch was anonymous but there were images of the documents that had been purchased. Narek pulled out his handheld and transferred Enid’s composition of Narek to the panel, placing it over the other documents for comparison. There were definite similarities with one of the documents. He looked at the star date on the document, it coincided with Narek’s previous visit to the planet. She recognized him in her way. She had been trying to figure out when she had met him before but S’ril had sold those memories. Narek had no doubt that S’ril had purposely sold the documents to make it harder for Enid to remember her early encounter with her own people. He downloaded the image from the auction site to his handheld. He could use this. Time was getting short. Once the synths arrived there would be no reason to maintain a Romulan presence. 

He found Enid in a dress shop and took up a position across the street where he could watch the activity through the storefront window. Enid didn’t carry a PCD so Narek was left to wonder for what occasion she was buying a dress for. The seamstress projected a holographic representation of Enid. From the panel she flipped through dresses, each one being rejected by her customer then she went into the back room leaving Enid sitting cross legged, alone on the floor in front of her hologram. She looked down and played with some lint in the carpet. 

What would her life be like with her father among the ultra elite of Romulan society? Would she, as Ni’ael suggested, find an occupation that would be both fulfilling to her and useful to her powerful father? He hoped so. He was grateful that the girl had great power in her own right. Plutarch would have more use for her than simply marrying her off to cement an alliance. She was not hard on the eyes for sure but her disability would make her less attractive to suitors. The idea of her having an ambitious political succafant forced on her was objectionable to him. He hoped that Plutarch was a man worthy of having such a daughter. His handheld signaled his ear piece. Rone was talking to someone. 

“I’m sorry, brother, I broke your fiance,” the voice said. Narek tapped out a sequence of keys on his handheld to triangulate Rone’s incoming call. It was from the dress shop. Interesting, broken how? 

“No, she was out of sorts this morning. She’s missing some sheet music.”   
Rone’s voice sounded weary, born telepaths had difficulty regulating emotions. According to Heiko’s records, disproportionate responses to small setbacks was typical for Enid. “She’s probably just overwhelmed by too many choices,'' Rone concluded. 

“I just thought she should look at all her options...”

“It’s one day out of our life, Aya. You can’t put that much pressure on her.” 

“Wedding dresses! How to manage that?” Narek wondered. He understood his role in this. He was to be Enid’s handler, at least in the short term. His goal was to deliver the girl to her father in one piece. He wanted to inflict as little trauma on the girl as possible, hopefully he could convince her to go willingly. He may need to convince her friends to let her go as well. 

It was a slow day at the infirmary so Rone promised to pop by as soon as he found someone to cover for him. About 10 minutes passed when true to his word, Rone appeared at the public transport station on the corner. Dressed in scrubs and a lab coat he sprinted to the dress shop.

“By the prophets!” he exclaimed upon seeing the Enid hologram, “That is the one!” In the quiet afforded to her as Aya called her brother for support, Enid had figured out how to operate the holos controls. It wasn’t as hard as she supposed really, why was this so difficult normally? She scrolled back through the previously discarded dresses and found one she liked and activated the program. 

“You look like an angel,” Aya said. 

“I’m the luckiest man that ever lived…” Rone embraced her.

“Great, now out!” Aya deactivated the program, “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the big day!” This was a relief Aya thought. She wondered if Enid was going to decorate her own cake or if some hapless baker was going to be subjected to the same trial? Rone had wanted to wait until S’ril gave his blessing but Aya figured that would never happen so she pushed her brother to proceed making plans quietly. 

Enid had really wanted Missy to help her pick a dress but knew that was asking too much of her friend. She felt an urgency to marry Rone. The fact that she couldn’t have children had been bitter news to them both. So bitter that Enid feared that Rone would never get over it. She should have never asked Rone to scan her! Enid had been offered a seat at a conservatory on earth but couldn’t go. She was afraid her absence would provide Rone the opportunity to find a woman that he could love, one that could provide him with children of his own. Afterall, she had not been faithful when Rone left to go to school although she knew that Rone blamed Missy for that. 

Rone too wanted to wed as soon as she was done with school. He knew that Enid’s fragile sense of worth had suffered a blow with the news she couldn’t have children. Rone had a developing distrust of S’ril since he learned Enid’s heritage. The sooner Enid was out of that home the better. Even with her abilities, it never occurred to him that Enid’s biological father would be interested in her. Romulans had no use for disabled. 

After Rone left, Narek brought up the image of Enid in her choice of dress that had been stored in the dress shop’s computer. Judging from the decor of her room, he expected the dress to be a frilly, overly femenine affair common for young Federation brides. It was actually quite simple and sophisticated. 

Enid left the store and turned right, away from the center of the settlement. Narek spied another tail, a nondescript humanoid was following her as well. Nondescript was the only way her second tail could be described. He wore a knit cap and was neither tall nor short. By his coloring, he could be human, Vulcan, or half a dozen other species, even Romulan. There was nothing outstanding about how the man was dressed and even for an experienced operative, tailing this man would be difficult. Narek lost sight of him a few times only finding him again because he didn’t stray too far from Enid. Where was Enid going? He thought at first that she was returning to her empty home but she had doubled back then without warning, she ducked into an alley. The man ducked into the alley as well then came out again. Enid had not come out. Fear gripped Narek as he darted down the street. Could it be over that quickly? Was she gone? 

There was another operative in the alley when Narek arrived. 

“There’s no evidence of transport,” he stated. The planetary defense system would have made that difficult but not impossible. “There is no evidence of energy weapons. No biological residue.” Even molecular solvent would have left evidence to someone who was looking. Narek heard a soft tapping above them. 

“There!” Narak was elated, “She went in that window!” He pointed to an open window on the top floor. The blinds were swinging in the breeze. 

“How?” the other man shook his head. Narek traced her possible path with his arm. There were antennae off the side of the building. A gutter ran close to the lowest. “She climbed up the gutter to the antennae there,” he walked a few feet over, “From there she used the remaining antennae to swing herself up to the window.” It was far he admitted to himself but he had seen her jump from further distances. “See, look,” he pointed to a broken antennae. He was seized by a renewed sense of urgency. Had her tail come to the same conclusion? He pulled out his handheld and expanded the screen. Quickly he tapped into the building's security cameras. She had been caught on the top floor but that was it. Narek prepared to tear that building apart until a message came through his earpiece. Enid had been spotted on the roof of the building at the end of the street. If she was at the end of the street, she’d have to come down, he figured as he ran through the alley stopping at the last building. It’s a corner, and the building butted flush against the one next to it. There was no alley for cover, he thought, She’d have to come down through the building. The other agent took out a device and displayed the plans for the building with dots indicating various life signs within the building. Enid was in the fire stairwell headed down. Another dot was headed up at the same time. Damn!

Dropping all pretense of stealth, Narek and the agent blew the door to the fire escape and ran up the stairs. The humanoid turned and fired at them. Enid seeing this retreated back to the roof, the humanoid tailing close behind. Narek and the other agent spanned the stairs and burst out onto the rooftop. Phaser fire took the other agent and Narek dove for cover behind some pipes that ran the length of the roof. Where was Enid? She would blend in well with the white coating that covered most of the roof, he thought as his eyes methodically scanned the area. There! He found her behind an air handler. 

Narek felt the earth give under his feet. He found himself standing in sand. Warm salty air hit his face. He was on a beach a few meters from Enid who was looking out to sea over the choppy waves. Next to Enid an equine creature shook its head and stomped a hoof. Enid reached up to scratch its ear. The beast had wings and a deadly looking horn. 

“We have to get out of here,” Narek felt panic, “We don’t have time for this, Enid, we have to move.” 

“Boo agrees, it’s not a good day for the beach,” Enid followed the creature to a path that led over a dune. 

“Not exactly what I meant,” Narek called as he followed the girl, resigned to the fact that he was a passenger on this ride at least for now. What the hell was going on outside her head? On the other side of the dune was grassland dotted with a few trees. Enid and the beast stopped under the nearest tree, an oak of considerable age. Narek turned 360 degrees to take in his surroundings. Was there something he could use to his advantage? Not far from the tree there was a burnt out stone foundation stippled with tiny white wildflowers. Off to the north was a castle with tall walls surrounded by dense thorny brush. To the west was a mountain range. 

“There’s a storm coming,” Enid leaned into the giant beasts flank, “It’s going to be bad.” She looked directly at Narek. “I told Boo we should go inland to explore those mountains.” Boo snorted loudly and stomped. 

“I don’t think Boo likes that idea,” Narek speculated, keeping an eye on the creature's horn. The beast leveled its eyes directly at Narek before flapping its wings and folding them on its back. 

“Boo thinks the mountains are a distraction,” Enid explained, “They weren’t there when I woke up this morning.” To Narek’s relief, Boo walked several meters away to graze. 

“What about the castle,” Narek suggested, hoping to learn more, “That would surely shelter you from the storm?”

“No,” Enid said bitterly, “There is no refuge there.” She shivered. Narek studied her expression. He’d seen that look at least hundreds of times during the evacuation on the faces of people who knew their world was ending but couldn’t wrap their heads around the reality. Some would rather be shot by Tal Shiar than board a transport to the unknown. Some hid in their homes denying the finality of the situation. 

“Enid, you are in danger,” he had to get her out of her mind, “You are on a rooftop and someone is coming for you.” Didn’t she sense this? 

“He wants to take me to meet my mother,” she said. “I’d like to meet my mother.” Her eyes brightened at the thought.

“Enid,” Narek guessed he had one shot at this, “Your mother signed over her parental rights years ago.” 

“But why?” she whined, reminding Narek of an adolescent questioning a curfew. Narek considered his words carefully. He had decrypted the file connected to S’ril’s divorce but he hadn’t wraped his head around why Enid’s mother had tried to kill her. The difficult pregnancy resulting in a profoundly disabled child? Maybe there was no good reason to offer Enid. Abruptly, Narek realized he’d taken too long. Enid was aware of his thoughts. 

“She hated me because I’m stupid!” The words hung in the air.

“I didn’t say that,” he started evenly. It was too late, the grasslands vanished and they were on the roof again. Enid was still behind the air handler. The humanoid was still stalking her, creeping closer and closer. Narek stayed low as he made his way towards the pursuer. The moment he had a clear shot he took it. With the threat neutralized, Narek rushed to the air handler. Enid was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

“Your sister is hailing us,” Rios called from the bridge, “You want it in your quarters?”

A’den was visibly startled when Enid contacted him aboard La Serena. Enid didn’t like talking over subspace. In his quarters he opened the channel to find his sister was in tears. She launched directly into the purpose behind her call. A notebook was missing, she didn’t know where it was. That she didn’t mention Narek or the man on the roof was because she hadn’t been kidnapped or hurt however the notebook was missing. That was real. 

“Little Bee,” A’den soothed, “Papa sold some of your music a few years ago.” 

“What?” she signed. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” 

“Maybe you forgot?” A’den suggested. He knew his sister had not been consulted. He hoped she didn’t sense the deception. 

“No!” she signed, “I would have never approved!” Enid paced her room. She felt as though someone had removed a limb and she was left with a bleeding, aching, wound. 

“He did it so that you could have options when you got older,” he hated seeing his sister this upset. “He didn’t mean…” He heard a cough from behind him. 

“I am so sorry,” Picard explained, “The door was unlocked and you didn’t answer. I’m sorry to intrude.” He was a bit uncomfortable that he understood the very personal exchange. What was important about her notebook? He had read that born telepaths could fixate on small problems overlooking dangers that were right under their noses. 

“What is that!” A’den both saw the signs and heard the question in his head. He looked around.

“I don’t understand,” A’den began. 

“That!” she managed a vocalization as she pointed towards where Picard stood. “You know what I’m talking about,” she continued in sign, “I know you know.” 

“I think she’s referring to me,” he said with some amusement, “Is she telepathically aware at this distance?” That would beat Tam, he thought. 

“This is Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, retired,” A’den informed her, “that is who this is, and yes,” he turned to Picard, “she has an exceptional range telepathically.” At times, he added in his head. Enid’s abilities were inconsistent, she could often “hear” better from greater distances. His sister usually kept tabs on people she cared about and he felt her as a presence in his mind’s periphery often as he went about his day. 

“But what is he?” she looked annoyed, “He looks like an old man but he can’t be human.” She knew what humans felt like, and this was definitely not human. 

“I bet you can’t sense me telepathically,” Picard said good naturedly. Enid explained that she could but that he didn’t feel human. “I used to be human,” he explained slowly watching the girl's reaction, “I died and my consciousness was transferred into a synthetic body.” The girl seemed to consider this information and nodded. 

“You don’t feel dangerous,” she signed then stared at him, her face taking up the entire screen for a moment before she continued, “Missy says synthetics are dangerous.” 

“Ah, I’ve read Miss O’Dare’s work,” he made the connection between the journalist and Enid. The girls were the same age and grew up together, they must be friends, “It was a well researched article although I can’t say that I agree with her conclusions.” He wondered how the young woman would react to this assessment of her friends' work. He wondered what Soji’s reaction was going to be to the news. She had been upset over O'Dare’s articles. 

“Of course you don’t,” Enid signed, “You are synthetic.” Picard acknowledged the bias. He found the girl's honesty charming and thought she would get along with Elnor. 

“How would you know what danger feels like?” A’den asked to change the subject. 

“Fourth symphony, third movement.” Enid answered quickly. A’den realized it had been a mistake to think that Enid wouldn’t notice her missing sheet music. “Mrs. Helene’s boyfriend.” 

“Your music memorializes your experiences,” Picard now understood the importance of the notebooks. He wanted to learn more but the girl had moved on.

“The Fisher synths are arriving today,” she said, “I want to hear what they feel like.” She ended the connection. 

“Diner is ready,” Picard told A’den who followed him to the mess. 

“I’m sorry for my sister’s rudeness,” A’den said after they had taken a seat. 

“Oh,” Picard said, “She’s not the first born telepath I’ve met.” 

“Then you understand that they don’t mean to be abrupt.” A’den didn’t know Picard. Would his sister’s reaction to him endanger his chances of getting the man to help him? 

“I can’t believe that she can sense synthetics!” Picard was really looking forward to meeting the girl. 

“I thought telepaths couldn’t read synths,” Agnes had not been looking forward to meeting a super powerful telepath. Between absolute candor and the humanoid lie detector she thought the trip would be uncomfortable. Not that she lied a lot. “I mean, what is that like? You have dozens of thoughts at once can’t you?” 

“More than that,” Soji commented. 

“Enid doesn’t usually hear independent thoughts,” A’den explained although he knew she could if she focused but it was difficult. “Her brain translates the constant barrage of peoples thoughts into music.” 

“Which she writes as symphonies!” Picard finished for him, “Fascinating!” Yes, it was a fascinating way of living, he could see that. 

“So she always hears music in her head?” Anges was relieved at least that her individual thoughts were safe. “Talk about an earworm.” 

“More than an earworm.” A’den said, “Enid spends her life swimming in music.” 

“Can you tell us about Ms. Helene’s boyfriend?” Picard asked. 

“First you have to understand that the outer colonies often attract people who are running from something,” A’den began. He explained that Ms. Helene was the daughter of a sultan on a non allied world. She was running from an arranged marriage but her father had sent an assassin to make an example of his daughter. “It wasn’t enough to just kill her,” A’den told them, “The assassin wanted Ms. Helene to be in love with him first.” 

“No,” Raffe shook her head. 

A’den continued that Enid had a bad reaction to the man when he came to the school with a surprise lunch for her teacher. At first everyone assumed that Enid had been jealous of the someone who had her favorite teacher’s attention when she threw a tantrum. “My father was called to school but by the time he got there things had escalated to a physical altercation,” A’den described how Enid had sunk her teeth into the man’s arm and how the man had stuck Enid across the face after dislodging her. Security arrived of course and the man was identified. 

“It must be nice to know when someone is dangerous,” Soji stated flatly. She hadn’t been able to tell that Narek was planning all along to kill her and despite her heightened senses she still couldn’t tell for sure if someone was sincere or not. 

“Given how Enid’s life is about to change,” A’den concluded, “I’m glad she has that ability.” The conversation drifted to the arrival of the Fisher synths and the uproar that had enveloped the settlement over the event.

“I wonder what Enid will make of them,” Picard mused. 

“I doubt she will sense them at all,” was A’den’s hypothesis. “The Fisher’s wouldn’t have asked for a sentient workforce.” He outlined the vile history of the Fisher mine. 

“The development of sentience can be unpredictable.” Picard said, “Sometimes it develops when it isn’t expected.” He launched into a long winded account of how Data had been the one to discover that tools called Exocomps had developed into a sentient life form. “The Fishers might get more than they bargained for.” 

Soji excused herself. She didn’t want to talk about the Fisher synths. As far as Soji was concerned she was warping towards a man she thought she loved. One who used their intimacy to destroy her and her family. Bruce Maddox had programmed her to deal with a physical threat to her existence but it never occurred to him to write a subroutine to activate her defensive programs against emotional danger. On the contrary. The more she thought about it, all the warning signs were there. Maddox had hoped she would infiltrate the Tal Shiar. While Narek was trying to manipulate her, a subroutine within her direction set was trying to pry information from Narek. In this case it turned out that Narek was better at manipulation than Maddox was. She called Arcana. 

“What if Captain Rios drops you off somewhere and picks you up after they have the girl?” Arcana suggested. 

“There really isn’t a good place along our route,” Soji told her, “And I want to make sure that Narek doesn’t hurt someone else.” No. Soji wasn’t sure what Narek’s game was, but she was sure she didn’t want him to win.

“I’m worried for you,” Arcana told her friend, “These Vulcans might not be who they present themselves to be.” 

“Have you found something?” Soji asked hopefully. 

“Nothing concrete,” Arcana responded. No she didn’t have anything specific to report to her sibling. Just conjecture but she didn’t want to alarm Soji if she didn’t have to. Her sibling had been through so much. They all had. 

***

Mr. Fisher considered transporting his synthetic workforce from the cargo ship that delivered them to the mine but he could not resist the opportunity to publicly stick it to Ni’ael so he decided to march them down Station Road directly in front of the checkpoint. A crowd of settlers gathered along the route. A few Romulans miners gathered near the checkpoint or within the diner. Missy and other leaders were on a platform in the center of the intersection talking while Federation New’s drones hovered above the swarm. 

Enid tried to work her way to the front of the throng so she could get a good view of the new arrivals. This was no easy feat for the slight girl who kept getting jostled backwards. Once she even fell which caused her a moment's terror until she felt a strong hand take hold of her upper arm and lift her out of the melee. It was Narek. 

“Are you alright?” he whispered in her ear anxiously. She nodded but was too tightly packed in to sign. Why was this man suddenly all over the place? 

I need to get closer! She thought to him hoping he could hear her. She was delighted when he pulled her by the arm through the mass of people to a spot outside the diner. It took control for Narek not to panic when the girl’s head did not reappear from the crowd. He reasoned the building might offer her some protection but was now worried she’d be crushed against the brick. He looked around, maybe he could find her some place safer. 

Heiko made his way through the crowd, “What are you doing?” he said through his teeth glancing up at the Federation Drones. “Get out of here.” Seeing her dear counselor, Enid beamed broadly and gave him a hug. She nestled into his side and waited for the synths. 

Fisher had ordered fifty synthetic workers that now marched in unison down Station Street. They were not sentient, Fisher didn’t want to deal with vacations and sick days. If one was destroyed, he didn’t want to deal with widows or orphans. He led the procession with his sons. Jimmy Fisher glared at Enid as he passed. She had found that the Fisher boy’s thoughts towards her had become increasingly aggressive lately. She pressed herself closer to Dr. Hanson. A move that pleased the young Fisher but Dr. Hanson frowned as he watched the exchange between the two young people. He suspected that Jimmy Fisher had found a new way to torment Enid. 

The synths were organized into rows of five and dressed in the mine's grey work uniform. Onlookers froze in the wake of the stomping footfalls. The beings had gold skin and yellow eyes but no hair. Enid wondered if they had teeth. To Enid’s ear, they had a percussive quality shaking the ground as they passed. She spun around, no one else seemed to notice the ground moving. The drums grew louder making her dizzy. I should sit down a bit, she thought as Heiko caught her in his arms. He had been watching the girl's distress. He looked for someplace to take the girl who had wrapped her arms tightly around the man's neck and buried her head into his shoulder. The pounding was growing louder in her mind. Judging that the diner was too packed Heiko looked down the street. Raelyn popped out the side door of the diner that opened on Station Street and gestured. Inside the building, Raelyn motioned for him to take her upstairs to the apartment she shared with her husband. 

“What happened?” she asked as Hieko placed her on the floor. 

“Grab those cushions,” Heiko ordered. He propped up Enid’s feet. Enid was shaking vigorously by now. “And a blanket!” 

“Was she ill?” Raelyn draped a blanket over the girl while Heiko placed a cushion under her feet. 

“She did take a tumble earlier,” he checked her pulse.

“Did she hit her head?” Raelyn knelt and checked Enid’s hairline for injuries. “Should we call the medics?” Enid coughed and emptied the contents of her stomach. Hieko turned her sideways until she stopped. Raelyn brought her a towel and some water to clean her up. 

“S-s-s-s,” Enid started. 

“Oh, no,” Raelyn said, “Don’t worry about anything, just take it easy.” Heiko slipped a cushion under her head. There was a soft knock at the door. Heiko got up. Pulling a disrupter from his coat he opened the door a crack then relaxed. 

“Get in,” he said. 

“What happened?” He wasn’t used to almost losing his asset three times in one day. 

“She’s suffered some sort of shock,” Raelyn said. “She doesn't appear to be hurt.” Enid tried to sign but was too weak. She was too weak to try telepathy either so she just closed her eyes. She contemplated the synths. Picard had felt wholly different from those abominations that marched past the colony. 

“Water,” Enid said. She needed to get the taste out of her mouth. Narek and Heiko each took an arm and helped her to a chair. Heiko paced the blanket over her lap. Raelyn brought her water steadying it as Enid took a sip. She signed, “Thank you,” weakly. Narek knelt in front of her and scanned her with a medical handheld. 

“Have you eaten since this morning?” He squeezed her hand gently. Enid retraced her steps in her mind. It had been a long day. She learned that her mother tried to kill her, she was almost kidnapped, and papa sold her sheet music. She shook her head and closed her eyes allowing the tears to fall uninhibited. Seeing this, Narek pressed, “Enid?” He touched her face lightly wiping her tears. 

“She barely touched her breakfast,” Raelyn offered. 

Narek confirmed that her blood sugar was low. Raelyn brought him a green beverage that he took and pressed to her lips. She took a sip, made a face and recoiled. It was jonar, a nutrient rich concoction that was familiar to every Romulan child. Narek smiled at her reaction, “No one drinks this for it’s flavor, “ he placed one hand behind her head steadying it and offered it to her again, “You’ll feel better,” he insisted. 

She complied. The substance wasn’t as horrible once it started going down. It worked quickly at least, she thought as her head cleared. “Sorry,” she signed, “I need to go.” 

“Give it a few more minutes,” Narek urged. 

“No,” Enid shook her head. At the moment she wanted to put distance between her and this man. She wanted to go home, back to her room where she could guard her remaining sheet music but knew this strange Romulan wouldn’t allow it. Who put him in charge anyway? How did he know about her mother? Could he be lying? How could she find out? Missy was the one that Enid usually turned to for these types of questions. Maybe she’d have time for her now the rally was over? 

“I’ll walk you to the rectory in a bit,” Heiko suggested, “Just give it a few minutes.”

“No,” Enid attempted to stand but the ground shook again. She looked incredulously at the people in the room, “how did they not feel this?” She wondered. The three people seemed to have no difficulty standing. She dropped to her knees and pressed her head against the carpet. “They don’t feel it because it’s not real,” she thought. She had visions before, usually Papa helped her make sense of them. Papa wasn’t here though and she would have to sort this out herself. What had Papa told her about waking nightmares? She needed to relax and let it play out. It was always painful to resist. Papa always instructed her to measure her breathing. In 1, 2, 3,….Out 1, 2. She had to make her breaths last to the count of 5 she knew and tried again. In 1, 2, 3, 4….Out 1, 2, two and a half. Try again, in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, out 1, 2, 3, 4, closer. 

“Bad, bad, bad,” Enid repeated. 

“What is bad?” Narek asked. This was the third time Enid had said something bad was coming. 

Time was difficult for Enid. Papa always told her to look around for an indication of time. It was sort of dark, not night but either early morning or evening. There was snow falling so she reached out to touch the flakes. It wasn’t snow but looked like snow. She saw the diner so she went in. The clock...It was analog...she had never mastered that skill. Damn, the dream was gone. 

Placing her right hand over her left she gestured for paper. When she got only puzzled looks from the people in front of her she repeated the gesture with more emphasis and finally reached for her backpack and retrieved her notebook. She sketched out a clock with hands drawn at 5:55. From the Romulans perspective they witnessed the dark eyed girl fall to her knees then plant her head on the floor. They saw her extend her fingers one by one as if counting. Then she stood and walked about the room with her hands cupped as if catching something invisible from the air around her. Then she inexplicably started this odd clapping. Finally the girl, looking frustrated, reached her arm out to catch her backpack which hurled itself towards her and retrieved a notebook. She sketched out a clock then sat back on the couch and rubbed her temples. Heiko took the image of the clock and handed it to Narek. 

“Is this morning or night?” Heiko asked Enid. Dark circles had formed under her heavy lids. The girl shrugged, it had been impossible to tell. Usually at this point, Papa would make her sleep. If Papa were here, he’d take care of it for her. The thought that Papa wasn’t there to help her suddenly terrified Enid. 

“Papa,” she said. She needed Papa to fix this. He had always made her feel better after a waking nightmare. She rested her head on the arm of the couch, “Papa, papa, papa,” she repeated. 

There was a loud knock at the door. Both Heiko and Narek drew their disrupters. Heiko went to answer the door while Narek stood in the hallway leading to the bedrooms, his weapon trained on the door. 

“Who is it?” Heiko called through the door.

“Rone!” He pounded the door again, “I know she’s in there!” The young medic pushed into the room as soon as Heiko cracked the door. He strode directly to where Enid was on the couch taking the spot next to her. Enid immediately clung to the man, climbing into his lap, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his chest. He stroked her hair and glared at the three people in the room. He knew Dr. Hanson and Raelyn but what were they doing with this Tal Shiar agent that Missy had interviewed? “Enid we need to go.” He sensed danger for his future bride. Now that he was in the room with Dr. Hanson and two other Romulans, he realized that Dr. Hanson was not human. Not human at all. He tried to control his expression. All those years that Enid confided in Dr. Hansen! What would the Tal Shiar do with all that intimate knowledge? Her fears, her hopes, he pictured it was all part of some Tal Shiar dossier. 

“Wait,” Narek said, “We need to know more about what is coming.” The Romulan tried to make eye contact with Enid, to engage her somehow but Rone blocked his view. 

“It’s just a waking nightmare,” Rone said, “She has those sometimes.” He pulled Enid to her feet, “Thank you for looking after her,” He nodded to Raelyn and Heiko. He glared suspiciously at Narek. 

“I don’t believe that and neither do you,” Narek stated coldly, blocking their path. 

“I don’t care what you believe,” Rone knew this was dangerous but if they were going to simply kidnap Enid, they would have by now so he assumed they needed her cooperation. He guessed that he was safe for now, he just had to get her out of this apartment. Enid, please, he pressed her telepathically. She complied, allowing Rone to guide her past Narek and from the apartment. The two men exchanged hostile glances as the couple passed. 

“You can’t keep her safe!” Narek called to Rone as he and Enid descended the stairs to the street, “She’s in danger here!”


	11. Chapter 11

Rone hurried Enid around the corner and away from the diner. Periodically, he turned to check if the Romulan was following them. He didn’t see him in the thinning crowd but he figured the Tal Shiar operative was trained to be discrete. Perhaps Enid had round the clock surveillance? Suddenly everyone he’d met in the last few days became suspect. Damn Missy for bringing that man around Enid! What the hell had she been thinking? And where was Missy? Enid wanted to go home, wait for her Papa and check her remaining notebooks in case any more were missing. Rone shook his head, as much to indicate to Enid that he wasn’t taking her home as it was to clear his thoughts. No, the remote residence was a bad idea, he felt it was safer to be in the settlements center. The Federation News service would be there at least till tomorrow. The rectory was a safer place for Enid right now. He briefly considered his small apartment above the unit that his mother and sister shared in the bakery building but didn’t want the Tal Shiar near them either. There were always more people at the Rectory. 

When the pair passed the pub, Missy popped her head out the door, “Hey!” she called. Enid hung back tugging on Rone's arm. Rone pulled her along. “Hey!” Missy trotted after them, “Hey!” Rone couldn’t stop, he was too mad to face Missy right now but Enid was dragging on his arm. If he didn’t stop she would break free so he stood and let Missy catch them. Frustration stung his eyes and he wiped eyes and nose with his sleeve. He could only glare at Missy. 

“Ena,” Missy judged that Rone needed distance. She had been vaguely aware of her friend's distress. The full force was blunted both by Missy’s engagement in the rally as well as Enid’s focus on the missing notebook. Something had happened today but Enid’s mind had quickly ambushed the event. It was hidden either hidden deep in the ocean or locked up in the castle. Missy hoped it was the former since items thrown in the ocean could be retrieved but Missy had never been to the castle. She tried to make eye contact with her friend but Enid kept moving her head to view her out of her peripheral vision. 

“She had a waking nightmare,” Rone stated, his voice inimical, “She’s overwhelmed.”

Missy snorted, “Who had her looking at wedding dresses today?” Enid had wanted her there, she knew.

“Fuck you!” Rone’s response stunned Missy, “Who introduced her to a Tal Shiar operative? What were you thinking?”

“If someone had shared that she was Romulan,” Missy hissed. 

“Oh come on!” Rone’s face contorted in amazed anger, “You know what she can do. Damn it Missy, you know S’ril has always been paranoid about the Romulans…”

“Xenophobic...” 

“You’re deflecting!” Rone struggled to contain himself. Missy never took responsibility for her actions. He could see Enid’s condition further deteriorate as the conflict between her two most beloved people intensified. Her expression vacant, Enid traced lines in the brickwork of the building next to her. She was not going to her internal landscape but someplace from which it would be more difficult for him to retrieve her. 

“This is my fault?,” Missy was high off the attention and accolades she had been receiving the past few days. “I’ve been gone for two years!”

“And in two days, look what you’ve done!” He gestured towards Enid. “That Romulan was in her mind!” His face was a mask of fury and hurt at what he perceived as an infidelity. Rone had never forgiven Missy for pursuing Enid while he was off world studying to be a medic so she was the natural outlet for his anger, besides, blaming Enid was complicated, “He was in her fucking head!” 

“It was your day with her!” Missy froze as she saw two more large humanoids approaching from across the street. Rone had been called into work because of the rally which was another reason to be pissed at Missy. The influx of people attracted to the small colony had changed the computer models for scheduling. They expected more people in the infirmary so they cancelled personal days. When the increased traffic did not materialize, he convinced his supervisor to let him leave. It hadn't been in time to stop the damage though. He was going to say something when Rone noticed the large humanoid approaching from behind Missy. It could be coincidence, there were still more people than usual milling about the settlements main street at this time, remnants of the rally, but this figure was moving quickly with purpose. They were in front of the dress shop which was closed so they could not duck in there. The route to the pub was blocked by the approaching humanoid. Both young people instinctively looked around for Enid only to find she had followed her brick path around the edge of the building. They watched in horror as she rounded the corner into the alley. 

Narek also watched the events unfold from across the street. He had operatives positioned at key points but ordered them to stand by. “Let’s see what lover boy does when Enid is in real danger,” he thought. Narek was no stranger to risk, in his line of work risk was ever present. In this case he understood that Enid might be hurt, even killed, but if things went well, he might be able to resolve this situation this evening. Timing was everything, now that the synths were in place he needed to bring this mission to a close. Narek hoped to convince the pair that Enid was in danger from both the syndicate bounty hunters as well as S’ril and his Vulcan colleges while driving home the fact that Rone and Missy could not protect Enid. He would then convince them that the only safe place for Enid was with her biological father. Advancing his position was worth what he considered a small risk. 

When Enid rounded the corner she was vaguely aware of the Nausicaan as a potential problem to be solved. More importantly though the brick facade gave way to the smooth grey sheeting that clad the side of the building. Her neat path through the brick was interrupted and she wasn’t quite sure what to do next. She studied the seamless grey surface indecisively. There was nothing to do about it, she considered her options, she’d have to back track and follow another path. 

The Nausicaan was initially confused by her lack of reaction. He did not expect his quarry to walk straight into his arms. He watched her pace the wall with curiosity. The Orions wanted her unharmed but she was a delicate looking creature, soft even, and he wondered how strictly they defined harm? He liked to play with live cargo. She was so pale, he wondered if she had sun lines. 

Rone and Missy turned the corner. The Nausicaan had his arm around Enid’s neck. 

“She’s mine,” he said pointing the disrupter to the three Klingons that had entered the ally. 

“You are outnumbered” one Klingon said slowly as the other two fanned out. 

The Naucacaan threw his quarry against the side of the building counting on the impact to injure the girl enough so at least she would not get away while he dealt with these pests. Rone and Missy both rushed towards Enid as she hit the wall like a rag doll and slumped to the ground. One Klingon broke off from attacking the Nausicaan, lunging at Rone with a knife. Rone managed to avoid the blade but the Klingon did land a punch to his midsection. While Rone fought to catch his breath the Klingon then turned his attention to Missy who was trying to pull Enid from the alley into the street. 

Narek decided now was the time to move. He jump kicked the Klingon attacking Missy. The Nausicaan, seeing his quarry about to be pulled away, charged towards Missy and Enid. This was met with a low kick that sent the Nausicaan flying face forward. The sturdy being rolled over and righted himself. There was a loud crack, and all the attackers fell. Narek approached the Nausicaan cautiously. The man’s neck was not just broken, his head was completely turned backwards. All the attackers heads had been turned backwards. 

“You alright?” Narek offered his arm to Missy then Rone. The three of them turned to Enid who sat cross legged in the middle of the alley. Her face was swollen and purple where she had hit the wall and she rocked her body back and forth. Missy knelt to speak with her friend but Enid waved her away. Enid vigorously smacked the uninjured side of her head with a pale fist. Rone caught her fist in his hand and fell to his knees to whisper in her ear. There was no effect. Rone and Missy exchanged helpless glances. 

“Hey!” an armed security officer entered the alley shining his light on Missy, Rone, Narek, then resting on Enid. “Sis, we’ve been looking for you.” He said closing the gap between them. He paused when he saw the first Klingon. “What’s this about?” He asked, his brow furrowed. 

“These men attacked Miss O’Dare and her friends,” Narek offered smoothly. 

“You’re that Tal Shiar that Missy interviewed?” The officer surveyed the Romulan.

“Yes,” Narek managed a self-effacing smile. It was unnerving to be outed, another reason to finish this mission. 

“You do this?” Officer O’Dare gestured to the bodies. 

“I did,” he gambled that Rone and Missy were too stunned to contradict him. He felt it best to hide that Enid had this sort of power. 

“They attacked us,” Missy said hurriedly, “We were quite lucky.” Rone shot a questioning look that Missy ignored, “You were looking for me?”

“Enid really,” the officer scratched his head before turning back to Narek, “You’re on record that this was in defense of Missy, Rone, and Enid?” 

“Yes,” Narek reviewed Federation law in the back of his mind. This was a justified killing. If he had done this he had acted in the defense of Federation citizens. Three Klingons and a Nausacaan were a deadly threat. 

“Can I ask you to stay on the planet for a few days?” Tim O’Dare felt silly asking this knowing what the man did for a living, “just to wrap up the investigation.”

“Definitely,” Narek lied. 

“Good then,” Tim turned to his sister and gestured to Enid, “She alright?”

“She’s bruised,” Rone interjected. “I think we can handle it.” 

Still looking at his sister Tim asked, “You good with this?” He remembered the last time Missy and Rone were together. His sister nodded. He forced out half a smile and nodded back, “Ok, but you have to get her off the street.” 

“Why were you looking for Enid?” Missy asked.

“I’ll tell later sis,” he looked nervously at Narek then pulled his sister aside and whispered, “Get her to the rectory. Take care of her. I’m sending over some officers.” Stunned at her brother’s secretiveness, Missy agreed. 

“What was that about?” Rone had managed to get Enid to stand and walk a bit. She was badly bruised on the entire side that had contacted the wall and she had a limp. Her face remained expressionless. 

“Come, on,” Missy took Rone by the arm, “Let’s go!” Rone guided Enid. 

“The Orion Syndicate has put out a reward for Enid!” Narek needed to go with them. 

“You knew about this!” Missy lunged at Narek's chest pushing him back. “What do you know?” She raised her hand to smack the smug Romulan. He caught her arm and held it.

“Just who do you think you’re dealing with?’ he leaned in close and whispered in her ear before letting go of her arm. 

Missy turned, “Let’s go.” She strode over to Enid and took her arm. 

“I have information you need!” Narek called, “You can’t keep her safe!” Rone hesitated but Missy kept going. 

“Don’t listen to him,’ she whispered, “They use dark psychology…”

“Now you decide that the Tal Shiar is dark!” Rone said icily. 

“I represent her biological father,” Narek needed to up the ante and he was rewarded. Both Rone and Missy turned. “He wants to help her.” He could see in their eyes that he was winning, “Let me come with. We all want the same thing here, we all want Enid to be safe.” 

“Fine,” Missy said after she and Rone exchanged looks, “But you don’t get to go near her.” Narek knew he’d be setting the terms soon enough. The young people were out of their league. 

***  
Rynar drank Vulcan coffee while studying a tablet on the promenade waiting for S’ril. It would have been easier on the man, he thought, if they had been able to take the girl in his absence as planned. They hadn’t counted on the amount of interest there was in Enid. What was S’ril thinking affording the girl so much freedom? She had no discipline so certainly word of her abilities had reached unsavory ears. Now, S’ril would spend his last days watching the girl suffer for his lack of judgement.


	12. Chapter 12

Will regarded his wife, Deanna with concern. Kestra had asked when Picard and Soji would come back for a visit but Deanna was absorbed in thought. She had been thinking about the little albino child she had worked with. 

“Deanna!” he gently touched her arm, “Are you there?” 

“I’m sorry, Will,” she shook off her train of thought, “What were you saying?” 

“Kestra asked if Jean Luc and Soji were coming for a visit?” 

“That’s right!” Deanna thought. She had mentioned speaking to Picard, “No they are going to a pretty remote colony right now.” 

“Looked like you were too,” Will said, “What’s wrong?” 

“Oh,” Deanna felt foolish, “It’s nothing. La Serina is picking up a passenger that I knew once.” she tried to deflect. 

“Someone important?” Kestra asked.

“Kind of,” Deanna explained, “She’s become an important composer I hear.” 

“What’s her name?” Kestra was always curious about what the adults around her were doing. She needed more exposure to other children. 

“Her name is Enid,” Deanna said, “She’s very special.” 

“That’s a pretty name,” had been Kestra’s evaluation. She was disappointed that Soji was not going to visit. 

If Deanna noticed the effect the name had on her husband, she didn’t say anything. The close family continued as they always did. After Kestra went to bed, Will asked Deanna into his study and closed the door.

“I don’t want Kestra to over hear and worry,” he began, “She’s pretty attached to the crew of La Serina.” 

“What is it Will?” Riker showed his wife a security briefing he had gotten this morning. Although retired, Starfleet consulted with him often and he received regular briefings. Most of the time it was not of interest but among this morning's briefing was an alert about a composer named Enid. The violet eyed albino had stuck in his head so when Deanna mentioned she was going to be on La Serina…

“Why do you suppose the Orions are interested in a composer?” he asked after Deanna finished reading the notice. 

“She’s also a telepath. Sometimes they employ telepaths.” Deanna had no clue about the motives of criminals. 

“I’d better give Jean Luc a heads up,” he was pretty sure his old friend did not get Starfleet briefings anymore. 

Picard discreetly asked Rios to his office after talking to Will. He explained the communication.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” Rios said gesturing expansively while pacing the room, “You’d think we could get one simple fare!” 

“We have to re evaluate Narek’s interest in her,” Picard said. 

“You mean he was probably not out stretching his legs.” Rios took the seat across from Picard. He remembered how Narek had handled the synths when he needed to create a distraction on Coppelius. He was a dangerous man.

“Her brother has to know something,” Picard said, “It’s your ship Rios, what do you want to do?” Rios decided he’d talk to A’den and returned to the bridge.

His crew and A’den were watching the arrival of the synths to Kiara Colony on the main viewscreen. The news drones offered a panoramic view of the procession.

“Computer, freeze!” Soji ordered. She backed up the footage and turned to A’den, “You want to tell me what Narek is doing with your sister?” A’den watched in horror as his sister fell in the throng only to be lifted by the Tal Shiar operative and lead to safety. 

“Looks like he saved her from being crushed by a mob.” A’den offered evenly. 

“Because the Tal Shiar have become Space Scouts,” Raffe weighed in. Rios watched the exchange trying to take the measure of the young Vulcan. 

“Tell me, why are the Orions interested in your sister?” A’den understood that Rios' question was an accusation.

“I’m not aware that they are,” Vulcan or not he blanched. Things were moving too fast. He had hoped that he would not have to take the crew of La Serina into his confidence. Rios told him about the Starfleet briefing. 

“I think you need to forthcoming, my friend,” Rios’ tone was congenial but sober. A’den took a few minutes to determine what he could share. That his foster sister was Romulan? No. That he and his father belonged to a Vulcan order that thought his sister was destined to be a Romulan War Lord? Absolutely not. That Enid was telekinetic? Possibly. He had to tell them something. 

“Enid is a telekinetic.” A’den said staring straight ahead. Rios regarded the man and felt there was more but telekinetics would attract both the Tal Shiar and the Orions. Quite possibly several other shaddy outfits. 

“Special needs?” Rios wanted to draw more out of the man. 

“Yes, that is true,” A’den regained some composure, “She’s a born telepath and with that comes some unique challenges. She is also telekinetic.” 

“So she can move things with her brain?” Agnes chimed in. 

“Yes,” A’den remembered how many school tablets Enid had smashed against the wall out of frustration when she was younger. “My father is dying, I have to get my sister to safety. My father thought you could help us.” 

“Telekinetics are valuable,” Rios began, “Your sister is indeed in danger.” 

“I think I know some place safe,” Picard announced, “She would have two effective bodyguards as well,” He explained that he would have to talk to Laris and Zhaban but offered Enid sanctuary on his vineyard on earth. A’den thought about it. This might work. 

“Who are Laris and Zhaban?” A’den asked.

“That’s the best part,” Picard said, “Who better to protect someone from the Tal Shiar than two ex Tal Shiar?”

“Tal Shiar?” A’den didn’t like that.

“Ex,” emphasised Picard, “I lived with them for over a decade. They manage my vineyard.” A’den agreed to Picard's plan. He wondered how this Narek had gotten so close to his sister. Where was Rynar? What had happened to the Vulcans who were supposed to be protecting Enid in his father’s absence? 

“I need to contact my sister,” he looked at the frozen image of Enid being led by the Tal Shiar operative and excused himself.

After A’den left Agnes asked, “What do we do if Narek has already abducted her?” 

***

The rectory was unusually quiet for a midweek night as there was a meeting taking place in the church basement that night concerning the mine and the O’Dares that were not working were in all in attendance, save Missy, of course. Missy had been leaving the pub to join in when she ran into Enid and Rone. Now she found herself glaring across the bright kitchen at the Romulan while Rone examined Enid. Enid hummed as she batted at some invisible target in the air around her. Her eyes were still vacant but she had stopped trying to hit herself and even had a small smile on her face. Missy didn’t recognize the song Enid was humming but Narek did. It was Narek’s song, the one Enid had written that day in the church basement. Narek wasn’t sure what was going on but he took it as a good sign. 

“Is she...” he started his question carefully. It’s purpose was twofold, first he genuinely needed to understand what was going on with Enid, and second, he wanted to remind Rone that he had been in Enid’s mind. He discerned that the young man considered this an infidelity on Enid’s part and he wanted to twist the knife a bit. “Is Enid at her beach?” 

“Don’t!” Missy shouted, “he’s just collecting information.” 

“Of course I am,” Narek scolded, “How else am I going to help her?” His reply took Missy off guard. That was good. 

“No,” Rone replied, hostility bled from his voice, “She’s not at the beach.” He finished up with the regenerator and performed a few scans, “And she doesn’t need your help.”

“Looks like she’s doing wonderful without it,” Narek smirked. 

‘You fucked her up!” Rone tensed with restraint, this guy could kill him, in fact he had no motive not to, so Rone had to hold it together, for Enid, “What did you do to her?”

“What did I do?” Narek’s upper lip curled, “I’ve been running around saving hers and your ass! You have no idea!” 

Rone shook his head. He heard the Romulan simultaneously scolding him and arguing with Missy. Good, he thought, let the jackass talk. He had to help Enid. Missy called this condition Purgatory. Enid was no longer in this reality and she wasn’t in her invented reality either, but he had to get her back, quickly. Missy didn’t know but Enid could just blink out of existence from this state. It had happened once and the memory terrified Rone. He didn’t know where she went and how she had returned but she had been off for days afterwards. He had an idea but he didn’t think Missy would like it so if Narek could just keep her occupied while he inconspicuously went into Enid’s backpack, retrieved the horgl, and extract the snakeleaf. All he needed to do now was glare at Narek a bit, nod at Missy, make a few adjustments on his medical tricorder, scan the extracted snakeleaf and insert the result into a hypo spray, and…

“What are you doing?” Missy yelled. 

“I think it will help Enid,” Rone said. 

“You’re just making shit up now!” Missy whirled around on Rone, “For all we know this state could be caused by the snakeleaf!” 

“Or evil Romulan over there and his head games,” Rone pointed towards Narek. He pushed past Missy and injected the hypospray in Enid’s upper arm, “You’ve seen the research, it’s promising.” 

“There has never been research on hybrids,” Missy knew about the finding but all the tests had been conducted on full Betazoids. Most of them had been lower functioning than Enid. Vulcans and Romulans typically didn’t use snakeleaf so there was little information available on how their systems reacted. Medications that were typically safe and effective for full breeds were often ineffective or dangerous for hybrids. 

“There is never going to be research on hybrids,” Rone pointed out, “because there aren’t enough with this condition. Besides, her internal physiology is predominately Betazoid.” Rone scanned Enid for signs of a reaction adverse or otherwise. Her eyes brightened, he thought, she stopped batting at the air. 

“Then how do you know she’s Romulan?” Missy countered.

“I said predominantly,” Rone rolled his eyes, “There are markers in her DNA.” 

“I’m going to be sick,” Enid eyes widened as she looked around. The sink! She thought, I can make it to the sink! Rone seeing her intention helped her to the sink where she once again threw up. 

“Jesus,” Missy examined the green liquid, “What did you eat?” 

Enid threw up a few more times. Rone steadied her while Missy cleaned her friend up. They agreed that Enid needed rest so Rone carried her up to Missy’s room and laid her on the bed. She was asleep before she hit the pillow. Rone and Missy returned downstairs. Missy took a seat in the living room, Rone remained in the doorway so he could hear if Enid stirred. 

“You said you had information,” Missy got right to the point. Rone leaned in the doorway, listening in case Enid needed anything, “Who is Enid’s father?”

“I’m not authorized to tell you that,” Narek began, “But I can tell you, he is a powerful man.” Missy looked skeptical. Narek continued, “He will keep her safe.”

“Exploit her you mean,” Missy pursed her lips. 

“She’s being exploited now,” Narek pulled a device from his coat, “The Vulcans are harming her.” He hit a few controls on the device and the molecular reconstruction appeared. He watched as horror washed across first Missy’s face, then Rones as the images played. 

“How long ago was that?” Rone remembered an incident from a few months ago. Enid had fallen asleep in art class and Jimmy Fisher poured red paint in her hair while she slept. Thinking it was blood, Enid went hysterical. Dr. Hanson had calmed her down but Rone knew that she still had nightmares about it sometimes. Narek confirmed the timeline. “Do you know what their plan is?” 

“Well...” Narek measured his words as he described the events of the prior evening. Rone left the doorway and took a seat in a chair near the hearth. 

“You were outside the solarium,” Rone’s stomach turned. 

“You didn’t even know,” Narek let the words do their work. He could see Rone’s brain working it all out. After a minute he said, “There’s no way she can be kept safe in this remote colony. She can’t stay here.” 

“So she moves to Earth,” Missy offered, “The syndicate won’t be…” 

“And what of the Vulcans?” Narek asked, “Vulcans are well respected, no one is going to believe they are hurting her.” Narek hated to think where they might have taken her if they got a hold of her last night. It might have taken months to find her. 

“We have that,” Rone gestured at the device on the table. 

“Molecular reconstruction is illegal in the Federation,” Missy felt deflated, “And really, Narek could have created this. It’s not like Romulans are known for honesty.” 

Narek understood that arguing that would not further his cause, “She won’t be safe in Federation space,” Narek enumerated as he paced, punctuating each point with a stride, “Her father is powerful, he can keep her safe, and she has a family that wants to meet her,” He made up the last part. He wondered if Lorlani would see Enid as a rival for her powerful uncle's favor. But Ni’ael was Lorlani’s husband. If he were here she probably approved. Narek doubted that Ni’ael could pull off an operation this big without Plutarch’s support. No, her family wanted her.

“You make it sound like a fairy tale,” Rone leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. He started to wish that he and Enid had run off last night. A loud knock on the front door interrupted them. 

Missy looked out the window, “It’s Tim. And S’ril! And some other Vulcan, I haven’t seen before. Not one of the Dreadful Vulcans.” 

“Dreadful Vulcans?” Narek asked.

“That’s the name that Enid created for S’ril’s colleges: T’vel and S’lar.”

“It seems even Enid knows she’s not safe here on some level,” Narek commented. 

“Rone,” Missy said, “We can let S’ril see Narek.” 

“Wh--Oh never mind,” Rone led Narek to a door down the hall. He looked like he was going to say something but just shook his head and said, “Whatever…” and walked off. 

Missy was examining a tablet when Rone returned. She shoved it to Rone then turned to S’ril, “She’s asleep right now, why not let her stay the night?”

“She is ill and needs treatment,” the strange sandy haired Vulcan said evenly, “I am Rynar, a specialist in her affliction.” 

“And what is her affliction?” Enid had been acting strangely and she had thrown up multiple times today. Maybe she really was ill. The Romulan could have faked the molecular reconstruction. 

“That is a personal matter,” Rynar said, “I wish to protect her privacy.” 

“What does this document mean?” Rone’s face had lost all color. 

“It means there won’t be a wedding,” Missy glared coldly at S’ril. He petitioned the courts and had Enid declared incompetent. She was placed in a conservatorship, Rynar was listed as guardian upon S’ril’s demise. “Is this really necessary? She’s had rough spots before...” 

“The girl's condition is regressive. She is deteriorating and eventually she will lose all hold on reality,” He looked at Rone, “Vasalation will not help her. We must do what we know is best for the child.” 

“Papa?” Enid’s voice came from the doorway. She rushed to S’ril and threw her arms around him. S’ril returned the embrace, enveloping her delicate pale frame within the folds of his robes, “You’re early!” The snakeleaf hadn’t worn off and Enid was unaware of the tension in the room. She broke free of the embrace, her face alight with pride.

“I had a vision!” she told S’ril cheerfully bouncing on her toes, “I did what you told me. I counted and breathed and didn’t fight it!” She looked up at the tall man. Her news is not having the desired effect. Her Papa wasn’t telling her how brave she’d been, “I did it by myself!” 

“The girl’s talking?’ Rynar raised his brow.

“My name’s Enid,” Enid snapped at Rynar, “Rone figured out snakeleaf lets me talk.” 

“You drugged her,” Rynar regarded Rone with suspicion. 

“It's not like that,” Missy interjected, “Enid was in a state, he helped.”

“Without understanding the girl's condition?” Rynar started.

“Papa why doesn't Rynar use my name?” Enid asked. 

“Without access to her medical records?” Rynar glared at Enid, annoyed by the girl's articulance. He turned to Tim, “He should be taken in for malpractice.” 

“Sir, that is a civil matter,” Timothy O’Dare was becoming suspicious of the Vulcans in his childhood home. Enid had a point, why didn’t Rynar use her name? 

“Then contributing to the delinquency-”

“This is the first anyone has seen of this document,” the officer said, “He had no way of knowing that Enid wasn’t free-”

“He’s a medical professional,” Rynar began.

“Listen to me,” Tim was not going to arrest one of the settlements' few medical personnel, “These are civil matters.” 

“We should go,” S’ril took Enid’s hand but she pulled away. 

“We can’t Papa!” She didn’t understand what everyone was upset about, “I need to finish telling them about my vision.” 

“She’s delusional,” Rynar said to the officer, “Her condition is worse than we thought.” 

“No!” Enid never liked Rynar. She had done what she was supposed to do. She’s supposed to tell him about her dreams, but he wasn’t around, “Papa, I did like you taught me. I remembered!” She looked from S’ril to Rynar and back to S’ril, “You weren’t here! I told Raelyn and Dr. Hanson but I didn’t finish.” 

“Let’s go Enid,” S’ril said quietly, defeated. If she continued talking she was going to make this worse. 

“She thought there was going to be an earthquake,” Rone finally found his voice. He had seen that in her mind before she went into purgatory. 

“That’s what I thought at first!” Enid spun around, excited to finally find someone who was interested in her vision, “The ground is just going to open up.”

“That’s enough, Enid,” S’ril interjected. 

“No! Somethings coming,” Enid insisted, “We need to evacuate!” Enid didn’t understand why no one was listening. 

“Enid, you need to go with your father now,” Tim O’Dare wanted this to be resolved. Enid did sound unbalanced. 

“I don’t understand,” Enid whined.

“It is precisely because you don’t understand that this has become necessary,” S’ril kept his voice low and even. 

“Enid,” Missy felt that Enid needed a better explanation of what was happening, “Your father has had you declared mentally incompetent.” 

“What does that mean?” Enid’s face dissolved into confusion.

“It means that you are not allowed to make your own decisions,” Missy continued, “It means that your papa decides what you get to do and who you can hang out with.” Would her friend understand this? Enid did, at least she understood enough. 

“No papa, no,” was all she could say and she said it over and over. 

“It’s going to be alright Enid,” S’ril tried another tactic, “You’ve given your message and the O’Dares will handle it. It’s time to go home,” He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead, “You’ve been very clever.” S’ril had to show Rynar that he could still control his foster daughter. Enid beamed at the validation. She had done well, she knew that she had gotten lost for a little while but Rone had helped. Papa could see Rone helped. He’d let her be with Rone, surely? S’ril leaned forward and whispered something in her ear then collected her in his arms as she crumpled. 

“S’ril!” the officer wasn’t sure he could allow this, conservatorship or not, this was intrusive, “She has rights!” Rynar stepped in front of S'ril, affording him an unobstructed path to the door which S’ril took. 

“There is not a moment to lose,” Rynar stood face to face with the indignant O’Dare, “Her condition is quite dire.” He turned and followed S’ril. 

Narek had heard the events over his earpiece thanks to Missy’s PCD which he had activated. It had been difficult listening to the young woman interact with her abusers, unaware of their ulterior motives. She loved S’ril as a father and he betrayed her. He unclenched his fist to see that he had been digging his nails into his palms. He had not drawn blood but deep angry marks divided his hand. 

With Rynar’s departure any semblance of composure dissolved from Rone’s visage. He had been leaning against the wall. Now to keep himself from slipping down he leaned over and braced himself with his arms on his thighs. A sob escaped his lips. He rushed for the kitchen, leaned over the sink and started the water running. He splashed some on his face. Missy followed him, rubbed his back as he leaned over the sink. Rone turned and embraced Missy, full out sobbing now. Narek had heard sobs like this at the relocation center when people realized that their loved ones hadn’t made it to safety. Missy and her brother helped the man to the table. The meeting in the church basement had ended and the rectories residents were filing into the kitchen.

“Oh goodness!” Muriel O’Dare exclaimed. The matriarch surveyed the situation and started a kettle on the stove. She retrieved an assortment of cookies from the cabinet and put them on a plate. She brought cups and placed an assortment of tea bags on the table next to the cookies. She offered Rone a cup, “Some people like chamomile for situations like this but I think lemon balm is the ticket.” 

“I’m sorry,” Rone started taking a sip. He breathed in the aroma and offered a weak smile, “It’s just too much.” He noticed movement in the hall and groaned, “He’s still here.” Just the audience for his breakdown he wanted. 

Narek had been trying to quietly slip by but now caught, gave a nervous smile, “I can let myself out.” There were things he still wanted to know but didn’t really want a front row seat to Rone’s distress. Three more O’Dares blocked his exit. Narek knew he could overpower the men in this room but decided against it. He would just see where this was going. 

Missy and Timothy filled the senior O’Dares on the events of the evening. Narek stood stoically leaning against a doorway. 

“They’d have had a hearing?” Muriel asked while studying the document, “Enid should have appeared?” 

“Not necessarily,” Tim shook his head, “They could have used school records. That and her juvenile record.”

“There’s nothing serious on her record!” Rone defended Enid. 

“It shows a pattern of poor decision making,” Tim folded his hands to his chin, “Honestly, there are people in this room with worse records but Enid has a documented developmental disability. They would have easily found a judge to grant them a conservatorship without a hearing with these circumstances.” 

“She doesn't need this,” Missy gestured at the tablet, “She can look after herself with a little help.” 

“This isn’t about helping Enid,” Narek interjected, “This is about control.” 

“I guess you’d be the expert at that,” Rone commented..

“Yeah, takes a facist to know one,” Missy added.

“Very nice.” Narek smirked and rolled his eyes, “I’m talking about the video I showed you. The Vulcans are using her for something.”

“And why would the Romulan government be interested in Enid?” Tim asked. It’s time to get to the point. What is the Romulan doing here? 

“As I explained to Missy and Rone,” Narek paused to be sure he had everyone’s attention, “I was sent by Enid’s biological father.” 

“Your saying that Enid is Romulan?” Liam O’Dare had been watching Narek. He looked familiar. Liam had many faults but forgetting a face was not one of them. “Do you have proof?” 

“Enid is Romulan,” Rone pulled some folded drawings from his breast pocket and tossed them on the table, “She drew out all our children, but wanted to see how accurate she was, so I analysed her DNA.”

“Why are they burnt?” Muriel asked, studying the crinkly nosed, pointy eared, spoony headed children. 

“Because she can’t have children,” he sighed, “She had a whole notebook dedicated to them. When she learned there would be no children she destroyed it. I saved what I could.” 

“I’m sorry,” Muriel patted his arm. Although a pastor, she didn’t offer platitudes about God’s plan. She believed in letting people find their own meaning although she would shepard them when needed. She didn’t think that Rone was ready for that just now. 

“It’s more than that,” Rone rubbed the back of his neck, “There were ten. She gave them names. She made them a home by her beach.” 

“The burnt foundation,” Narek said almost absently.

“Yeah,” Rone was tired and really hated this Romulan, “When they died,” he looked at the ceiling, “She set fire to the cottage.” 

“God, Rone, I had no idea,” Missy began. 

“Of course you didn’t,” Rone pushed himself back from the table and poured more hot water from the teapot. He sat back down, collected the images and patted them back into his pocket, “So yeah, Enid is Romulan and this asshole,” he gestured to Narek, “says he was sent by her father.” 

Narek ignored the ‘asshole’ comment. He had a million questions that good judgement kept him from asking. He assumed that Missy had told her family about Enid’s inner world since not one of them questioned Rone's story. He felt pity for the young man who he had certainly experienced the loss of the ten pretend children like they were real. He was sure they had picnics on the beach and took turns riding Boo. Enid, he believed had some kind of dissociative disorder, probably a response to trauma of her mother’s murder attempt. The castle is where she puts experiences she can’t deal with. He wondered what part of her mind was represented by Boo? 

“I’ve seen you before,’ Liam O’Dare regarded Narek, “You were on that transport. What was that? About 15 years ago?” The man in front of him had the same nose, the same mouth. 

“It was.” Narek thought he saw a chance to control the narrative and possibly enlist the O’Dare clan, Narek let Liam tell the story of how Enid had come to the station. How Narek had stepped in to keep her safe. “She remembers me in her way,” he said when the senior O’Dare finished. 

“How would you know?” Rone looked suspisious. 

“This,” Narek indicated that he wanted to take something out of his pocket. He knew the occupants of this room considered him the enemy, best to be cautious. When Liam nodded he removed his handheld and expanded the screen, “This image is one of the original compositions that S’ril sold. It’s from the auction site...public information.” Narek took it as encouragement that no one asked him to prove his assertion so he continued, “And this,” he tapped some controls and superimposed another composition over the first, “Is the composition that Enid wrote yesterday.” There were very minor differences between the two compositions but it was clear they were the same, “Missy can attest that Enid wrote this for me.” He looked at Missy.

“She wrote a song for Narek,” Missy said, noticing the look of horror on Rone's face. Rone didn’t know about the song, they must not be as telepathically connected as he first thought. Narek filed that information away for future use. Narek believed that S’ril purposely chose the sheet music he sold to keep her from remembering certain people or events. 

“My mission is to bring Enid home to her family.” 

“How?” Muriel asked. 

“Pardon?” Narek turned to the elderly O’Dare. The tell tale signs of youthful beauty still lingered in the woman’s face which was well lined by both joy and worry. 

“How did she come to be?” Muriel corrected awkwardly, aware that given her own brood of ospring it seemed a silly question. 

“I’m not privy to that,” Narek responded. It was a question he had wondered too although he figured it had to do with Dinih’s husband. Plutarch must have been working for the Zhat Vash and Dinih’s husband, a cyberneticist, was the target. 

“Why wouldn’t the man come for his own daughter?” was Liam's question. 

“He’s a powerful man,” Narek said simply, “And relations between our people are well...have never been very friendly.” Narek left it at that. These people could not understand the intricacies involved in Romulan culture. 

“He was a spy,” Missy concluded. She had done her own research reaching the same conclusion as Narek had except she didn’t have a name. “Enid’s mother was married to a Cardasian cyberneticist before Enid was born. The man jumped from a 10th floor window after his lab was destroyed.” 

“So her father murdered Dinih’s husband?” Liam narrowed his eyes at the Romulan. 

“There is no proof of that,” Narek began, “Given Dinih’s reputation, she could have killed her husband herself or had him killed.” Narek outlined what he knew of Dinih. Her connections to the Orion syndicate, the large sums of money that S’ril had given his ex wife. 

“So S’ril paid for Enid?” Rone was woken from his self pity for a moment. “Like chattel?”

“I think that’s a bit dramatic,” Missy started. 

“Well I don’t,” Narek had reached the same conclusion as Rone, “We have a troupe of Vulcan radicals who purchased a Romulan baby girl. We can’t let that stand.” It didn’t take much effort to project righteous disgust into his tone. As no one stopped him, he continued, “She has a father that wants to be part of her life. She has cousins who are eager to meet her. She needs to be with her family.” 

“Nice try,” Missy said, “She’d have been euthanized on Romulus.” Narek cringed. 

“You want to exploit her!” Rone exclaimed. 

“Unlike the Vulcans,” Narek rolled his eyes, “Enid-”

“Deserves better,” Muriel’s finished Narek’s sentence for him. She started organizing in her head what needed to be done. They needed an attorney which would cost money. 

“S’ril’s not well liked,” Liam mused, following his wife’s lead, “It would be easy to get support.” 

“That’s what I was thinking,” Muria agreed, “We can get an attorney. Offer her asylum.” This wasn’t the direction Narek was hoping for but he decided he could work with it. 

“I doubt we will see Enid again,” Narek wanted to take control, to steer them to his plan, “They could be taking her off world now.” Liam pulled up some information on a tablet and verified that there was a transport leaving within the hour to Vulcan. He entered a few commands. 

“There,” he said, “No one’s leaving the system for 24 hours.” He had just grounded all traffic due to control system errors. 

“Has anyone left since we’ve been talking?” Narek could kick himself. He should have thought of that sooner. 

“No,” Liam answered, “Other than the Vulcan ship no one was scheduled to leave tonight anyway. Tomorrow will be a shit show.” 

“Malack can file an emergency order,” Tim suggested referring to one of the settlement’s attorneys, “He owes me a favor. He doesn’t have the expertise for something like this though.” Rone agreed to provide Malack with whatever documentation he needed. 

“Well we have 24 hours to figure things out.” Liam nodded to Rory, “We’re going to have a lot of unhappy people to pacify.” Narek excused himself to report to Ni’ael. Thanks to the O’Dares, they’d have a day to get Enid into custody.


	13. Chapter 13

Rios looked at the message on the panel in front of him. All traffic to Kiera Station was suspended for at least 24 hours. What new twist was this? he wondered. They were scheduled to arrive in two days but he figured there’d be delays. Right now there were hundreds of ships trying to leave the system in wake of the demonstrations and rally. The station had been busy the last few days, if traffic couldn’t leave, then there might not be space for new arrivals. 

“Have you contacted your sister?” he asked A’den when he came out of his quarters. 

“No,” A’den said, “Enid never carries her PCD and everyone at the rectory seems to be involved in the rally.” 

“They’ve grounded all departures for 24 hours at Kiara Station,” maybe the Vulcan would have some insight. It could be nothing, these remotes stations often had technology glitches. 

“See if you can contact Rory O’Dare, at the station.” A’den had been in the same class as the young man, “We played soccer together.” 

“A’den, what can I do for you?” to the young Vulcan, Rory’s greeting was uncharacteristically cordial. A’den shrugged it off thinking Rory was under stress from the shutdown. 

“All traffic is grounded I hear,” he began, “I’m scheduled to arrive the day after tomorrow.” 

“Everything should be cleared up by then,” was the assistant station manager's matter of fact reply. 

“I’ve been trying to get a hold of Enid. She’s supposed to be staying at the rectory,” A’den explained, still wondering about the response he was getting from his one time friend. The mention of Enid seemed to make the usually gregarious Rory’s face harden further. 

“Some man named Rynar came to the rectory a few hours ago with your father,” Rory watched for a reaction from his friend but was rewarded with typical Vulcan stoicism, “They took Enid.” 

“My father returned early and picked up Enid,” A’den said mostly to himself. 

“They took Enid,” Rory corrected. Rynar must have ruffled some feathers at the rectory. That rang true to A’den, Rynar was cold even for a Vulcan, which would not have played well with the O’Dares. He expected that Rynar would come to Kiara eventually. Hopefully he had not made any decisions yet. He didn’t want to ask Rory for more details in front of Rios and his crew.

“What do you mean took?” Rios interrupted. He judged that Rory was hoping that A’den would take the bait and when the young Vulcan did not, Rios decided to be helpful. A’den shifted on his feet. Rory’s apparent animus coupled with A’den’s increasing withdrawal gave Rios cause for concern. Something was very wrong. 

“I mean those sick fucks came in and took her against her will,” Rory bit out staring at A’den. Rios made eye contact with Raffe across the bridge who mouthed the question, “sick fucks?” 

“Enid is not fond of Rynar,” A’den turned to Rios, “And she has difficulty with changes in plans. She would not have been happy,” he then said to Rory, “I hope she didn’t throw too bad a tantrum.” 

“She didn’t throw a tantrum,” Rory said bitterly, “I don’t know much about Vulcan culture but we don’t hold with people being treated as chattel.” 

“Chattel?” Rios echoed, alarmed, “Explain please.” 

“Ask your passanger.” Rory cut the communication. Rios turned to A’den and lifted an eyebrow.

“I’ve no idea what’s gotten into Rory,” A’den said as Rios tried to determine if he was telling the truth. A’den didn’t wait for a follow up question, “I need to contact my father.” He retreated to his quarters. 

Once A’den was out of earshot, Rios turned to Raffe, “What the hell did we miss with this one?” Raffe shrugged, A’den, S’ril and Enid had all checked out ok. She decided to dig a bit deeper.   
***

Narek returned to the checkpoint to find Federation news drones circling above the twenty or so Romulan miners demonstrating in the street. Raelyn waved him into the diner. Ni’ael was seated in a booth towards the back. 

“What happened at the rectory?” he asked. Narek relayed the events of the evening. He learned that the Klingons had not been working for the Orions. 

“The Klingons are interested in her?” Narek did not like this development.

“They planned to just kill her,” Ni’ael said, “So we wouldn’t have her.” 

“We have eyes on her?” Narek was worried, “We know they didn’t take her off planet?” 

“Oh they did head straight to the station,” Ni’ael gave a rueful laugh, “That Rynar is a piece of work!” Ni’ael relayed the confrontation between Liam O’Dare and Rynar at the station. “He’s lucky that O’Dare canceled the transports though, we planned to take the girl by force, news service drones or not.” Ni’ael had dozens of altered operatives in place around the station ready if need be. Narek wondered at the power that Plutarch must yield to have this sort of operation in place for so many years under the nose of the Federation. That had to take an enormous amount of money in bribes and endless amounts of intelligence to blackmail officials. 

“The protest?” Narek nodded towards the checkpoint. 

“A diversion,” Ni’ael said, “I think it is better to keep the Federation News Service occupied for now.” He didn’t offer any further explanation. 

“We need to know what is going on with Enid,” Narek formulated a plan in his head but needed help to pull it off quickly, “Do you have an operative with holo programming experience?” 

“My communications specialist,” Ni’ael responded. Romulans did not use holo assistants or any artificial intelligence but they did employ holograms for communication, “What’s your plan?”

Narek explained that S’ril had holo emitters in every room to accommodate the medical hologram that served as Enid’s primary care physician. As a theoretical cyberneticist, Narek thought he could find his way around S’ril’s EMH programming but needed to tweak the holo matrix to escape detection. Given the time crunch he wanted to consult with someone who had more practical experience with holo matrixes. The two men then crossed the checkpoint into the Romulan sector where Ni’ael introduced Narek to Cailem. Although he was short for a Northerner, Cailem was otherwise classically handsome. He shaved the sides of his head to expose his ears which were well proportioned. The rest of his hair was long and cornrowed into a bun on top of his head. After spending so much time alone the last few years, Narek enjoyed collaborating. Cailem was intelligent and efficient. Narek’s plan was to hijack the holo emitters so that he could enter the residence in hologram form. Cailem needed to monitor the emitter grid in case the holo program was activated. 

“There are some things you should remember,” Cailem told Narek when they were ready to give their plan a try, “You’ll be visible in direct light. If the medical holo is activated in the room you are in, I will redirect your signal to another part of the house.” Operatives were stationed outside Enid’s home and could give a rough idea where people were. The Vulcans had employed a jamming signal so they couldn’t just transport Enid. Cailem modified scanners to counteract the Vulcan signal but could only guarantee 78 percent accruacy. Cailem tapped out a few commands on the panel at his workstation, “Also, if you want to manipulate something in the environment, let me know, but you will be visible.” This was an added bonus. Usually communication holograms couldn’t manipulate matter. 

Enid was being held in her bedroom. When it was determined that no one was nearby, Cailem activated the holo program. Narek entered the dimly lit room. The poster over her bed had been torn down, shards of hooves and horns lined the ledge along her room, and her notebooks and medals were missing. Enid was slumped over against the door. He knelt. He could see she had been crying hard. Her lips were cracked from dehydration. Green blood had dried around her mouth, making Narek think she might have bit one of her assailants. Good, he thought. He hoped she got a good chunk out of the man. Her hands were swollen and purple. Narek saw a purple bruise that ringed her neck. She banged her head against the door several times and repeated “Papa, Papa,” in a horse voice. Her pupils were dilated, Narek guessed she was drugged. He wanted to stop her from banging her head and indicated to Cailem to increase his signal density so he could slip his hand between her and the wall. When her head came in contact with his hand she reacted by rolling away from the door. She tried to prop herself up on her arms but found that her hands hurt too much to support her weight and she fell on her face. She curled up, drawing her knees up to protect her abdomen and covered her head and face with her arms. 

Narek took a cue from Missy and Rone. He lowered himself to the floor so his head was even with Enid’s. She was wearing a white sleeveless shift. From this perspective he could see she had been treated with extraordinary roughness. She had hand shaped bruises on her upper arms, defensive bruises on her lower arms. He examined her legs. She had some bruising on her thighs and on the inside of her knees. These are not typical Vulcans, Narek thought. 

“Enid,” Narek gently reassured her, “We’re going to help you.” She looked up at him. Narek felt sand under his hands. He was on the beach. Enid was laying across the bloodied body of her alicorn. She stroked it’s mane. Tears dropped from her face mixing with the blood on the beast's white hide. 

“Rynar killed Boo,” Enid said with her head buried in Boo’s mane. 

“Enid, Boo’s a construct of your mind,” Narek explained gently, “Can’t you just bring it back?” 

“Rynar will just kill her again,” Enid lifted her head, looking Narek in the eye, “He enjoys killing Boo.” 

“You are not alone,” he wanted to comfort her in some way but was unsure how to proceed, “There are people who are trying to help you.” Narek walked around Boo to take a seat near Enid, but not close enough to be considered a threat, “Tell me about Rynar.” 

Enid turned to face Narek. Her back was against the alicorn and she pulled her knees to her chin, “He works with Papa. He hates me...” She stopped and bowed her head into her knees. 

“So you know him?” Narek pressed. Enid nodded. She had always felt contempt from Rynar. He wanted her to be someone else, someone Vulcan. This was her fault. She should have listened to Papa. She should have tried harder to be a proper Vulcan. 

“He wants...” She paused and looked up, “I don’t know what he wants...He needs me but he hates me.” She squeezed her eyes shut. 

“What does he need you for?” 

“I don’t know,” tears flooded her eyes, “I feel like I should know but…” She placed both palms on her forehead and took a deep breath, extending a finger for each second as she inhaled. She reversed the action as she exhaled. The technique worked, she leveled her eyes at Narek, “Everyday is a test is a test, I don’t know how to pass. Everyday I fail.” 

Narek, like any other Romulan could relate to this. Everyday was a test of loyalty and wits. This girl, however was from what he could tell, purposely brought into existence despite...He checked his thoughts remembering she could hear him. He didn’t want to muddy the issue, “Maybe the test isn’t fair,” he said. 

“That’s not what you were thinking,” Enid said, “You think I’m too…”

“Is it ethical?” Narek interrupted, “To listen to…”

“You came in here!” Enid interrupted him back. 

“I’m not telepathic,” Narek’s reproached, “I’m here because on some level you want me here.” 

“Missy says the Tal Shiar uses dark psychology to get people to do what they want,” Enid retorted, “You’re manipulating me somehow.” She jumped up and started walking briskly along the shoreline. Narek followed. 

“Oh, there’s dark psychology at play here, but it’s not me!” he called, amazed at the girl's sophisticated self-deceptions. “Rynar is trying to break down your identity,” he gestured back towards Boo, “He wants to mold you into someone he can control.” He watched to see if she understood. She was in danger, and he needed her to see that. He needed her to cooperate. 

“He wants to make me Vulcan,” Enid said, “I didn’t listen to Papa and now Rynar has to fix me.” 

“You believe that?” Narek balked.

“It makes more sense than what you believe,” Enid countered. 

“You are never going to be Vulcan, Enid,” Narek continued to push her, “You can never be Vulcan.” Enid stopped and spun around to face the Romulan. It was difficult to discern her expression. She was fighting the truth. He needed for her to embrace the truth, to accept that she was Romulan and that she needed to come with him. She needed to meet her father, “Aren’t you just a little curious?” He said cautiously and waited for a response. 

The response came albeit not the one he was hoping for. The landscape disappeared and Narek found himself back in Enid’s room. The battered girl was still curled up on the floor. She clutched a large white feather in her hand that Narek recognized as coming from Boo. She extended it towards him. Narek took and examined it. This was beyond telekinetics, at least any telekinetics that he’d been aware of. She had created matter from something she imagined. What was the limit of her abilities? He knew he couldn’t bring it back with him so he decided to leave it in her horde of drawings. Enid’s eyes grew wide as he accessed her secret hiding spot. 

Narek didn’t want to leave the girl on the floor. She let him gently pick her up and place her on the bed. He needed to find out what drug they were using on the girl so Cailem calibrated the holo so he could scan Enid. It was a neat work of programming, Narek thought as he waved his arm above Enid to collect her vitals, this technology would have many applications if it could be scaled. He pulled a blanket over her then signaled for Cailem to put him in another room. Cailem put him into S’ril’s office. Rynar was seated at S’ril’s desk examining a tablet. 

Vulcans had been repressing emotions since the Time of Awakening but no society is ever truly monolithic. Rynar had learned logic, found it useful, but rejected the idea that the pursuit of logic leads to peace, either individually or as a society. This was not an edict of the ancient order he served, but rather a personal decision. He did not believe in pacifism. He believed that there were logical justifications for violence or even war. He did hold to the central tenet of Vulcan culture that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or one. With that in mind, he believed he was justified in his treatment of the albino girl. S’ril’s late wife had been a seerer. Her prophecy regarding Enid made the girl a clear and present threat to Vulcan society. Regardless of his acceptance or rejection of Surak’s philosophy he regarded S’ril’s handling of the affair to be folly. If the girl could not be salvaged, she must be destroyed. What Rynar had not been expecting was just how glorious unrestrained violence was. In fact, now that he had gone down that route once, he looked forward to his next session with the girl. 

These were the thoughts that occupied Rynar as Narek watched him from the shadows of the room. There wasn’t much that Narek could discern from this vantage point until T’vel entered the room. 

“S’lar reports that he finished programming the medical holo. It will no longer accept Enid’s commands.” he said. 

“Very good,” Rynar said, placing the tablet on the desk. T’vel did not leave. To Narek, it seemed the man wanted to say something but restrained himself. Rynar evidently sensed the same thing, “You have misgivings?” he asked.

“Yes,” T’vel leveled his gaze on Rynar, “This goes against everything our society believes.” 

“Do you want your descendants to be subjected to Romulan rule?” Rynar asked.

“It is not my preference, but to treat another sentient being in this matter is wrong,” T’vel lectured, “Enid is--”

“A mistake,” Rynar interjected, “S’ril’s folly, and one that needs to be corrected.” 

“That is harsh,” T’vel persisted. 

“You have often criticized S’ril’s training of the girl,” Rynar pointed out.

“Training yes,” T’vel conceded, “Enid lacks discipline but what you are doing goes against our training, our culture. The end doesn't justify the means. We can’t save ourselves by going against our core beliefs.”

“What are you getting at?” 

“I resign,” T’vel said flatly, “I will no longer be a part of this.” 

“What do you intend to tell the council?” Rynar rose from his seat. 

“You are the council now,” T’vel said, “There is no need for me to speak further on this matter.” T’vel had already notified Vulcan Intelligence regarding Rynar, The Order, and Enid’s condition. Rynar had intercepted the transmission. Now all that was left was to take care of T’vel.

“Very well then,” Rynar made a motion like he was going to escort T’vel out, then drew a phaser and shot him. T’vel was killed instantly. Rynar increased the setting on the phaser so that all that remained was some genetic residue which he cleaned up with a towel and deposited in the recycler. Rynar smiled. Unrestrained violence was good. 

Narek signaled Cailem to bring him back.


	14. Chapter 14

Narissa looked at the screen in front of her. It was a message sent to Vulcan Intelligence from Kiara Colony. It was a detailed summary of events that were taking place on Kiara. The transmission had been disrupted by someone on the surface, probably this Rynar character mentioned in the memo. If Narissa had not been monitoring Kiara/Vulcan communications, the transmission would have died, without anyone being aware of it. She didn’t have authority to decide what to do about the message so she contacted Oh. This might just be what she was looking for to ingratiate herself back into Oh’s confidence. She was rewarded when Oh herself followed up on her query. 

“I think we need to determine the extent of this organization,” Oh concluded, “Make sure the message gets to its recipient and see what comes of it. Expand our efforts to monitor Vulcan for the time being, pull personnel as you need.” This pleased Narissa. She was back in charge of something. 

“Should I forward the message on to Narek?” she asked. Oh weighed the consequences and decided against it for now much to Narissa’s disappointment. She didn’t just want to be back in Oh’s good graces but also wanted to have leverage over Narek again. She missed her little brother. 

***

Narissa wasn’t the only one who intercepted T'vel's communication. Raffi was diligently searching for more information on A’den, S’ril and Enid. She had uncovered T’vel’s connection to the trio so she researched him as well. After skimming the communication she grabbed Rios and barged into Picard’s quarters.

“JL you have to see this!” Raffe burst out when they were alone. Rios looked over Picard’s shoulder as he read from the tablet. 

“This is the most messed up thing I have ever seen,” was Rios’s conclusion. In the communication, the Vulcan named T’vel confessed to belonging to an ancient order that had existed since The Diaspora but outlawed after The Time of Awakening. The order called Enid the Lanka-gar and alluded to several prophecies that must be familiar to the message's recipient. Rynar was the leader of the order and was torturing Enid. “I’ve never heard of The Diaspora, but isn’t a lanka-gar a type of raptor?” 

Picark acknowledged the latter but had also never heard of the Diaspora. “They have an ancient civilization,” he considered it for a moment, “The Vulcans call the Romulans the people who walked under the raptors' wings,” he wondered what implications did this have for the young telekinetic? 

“That poor girl,” Raffe felt ill. The memo included a brief video of Rynar smashing trinkets in the girl’s room hurling them at her as she screamed in protest, restrained by what appeared to be another Vulcan. She appeared to be already quiet battered. 

“That’s no Vulcan,” Picard said, freezing the video, “Look here,” he pointed to a spot in the video where a trinket passed through the head of the man restraining her. 

“They are using a hologram,” Rios watched in horror, “Exactly how do you fight a hologram?” 

“Do we think A’den knows what is happening to his sister?” Raffe asked. 

“According to this, she is not even his sister,” Picard pointed out, “That casts doubts on whether we can trust him at all.” 

“We need to get this to Vulcan security,” Raffe said.

“Shouldn’t this go to Starfleet as well?” Rios asked, “S’ril’s daughter or not, Enid is a Federation citizen.” 

“Yes!” Picard agreed, “We should also make the authorities on Kiara Station aware of the situation.” Rios opened a channel to the magistrate on Kiera and asked for a supervisor. Tim O’Dare took the call. 

“O’Dare?” Rios asked, “Any relation to Rory?” The officer confirmed that Rory was his brother. Rios secured the connection and transmitted the communication. He watched the man’s face whiten as he read through the file. After watching the video, Tim O’Dare put his elbows on his desk and rubbed his temples. 

“I knew it!” the officer smacked the desk in front of him, “You have A’den on board?” 

“Yes,” Rios replied, “Do you think he is dangerous?” 

“I don’t know,” Tim answered, “Up until last night I would have said no,” he shook his head, “I don’t know anymore.” 

“Do you think Enid knows anything about this?” Picard asked. The officer was sure the girl didn’t. He thanked Picard for the notice and terminated the connection leaving Rios and Picard dumbfounded. 

“Are there any Federation starships in the area?” Picard asked Rios. Rios confirmed that the Enterprise was not too far away. Picard smiled and opened a hail to Captain Worf. 

***  
After Narek had left, Enid weighed her options. Without Boo, heading towards the mountains wasn't feasible. Rynar knew how to kill Boo so there wasn’t much point in resurrecting her friend since she knew she couldn’t bear to lose her again. She looked towards the ocean. Rynar had burned the boat that Papa helped her create. The boat had no rudder or means of propulsion, Enid thought, It was more of an ark anyway. The ocean terrified Enid. Papa would take his little family to the beach several times a season, but Enid spent most of those trips clutching A’den’s arm and crying while her brother tried to amuse her by either collecting shells or burying her in the sand. Then last year, Papa compelled her to compete in the triathlon. Swimming in a real ocean was different from what she contemplated now. Still, she didn’t think she really had to swim in the ocean to accomplish what she wanted to do. 

Narek had implied that Enid was Romulan. The thought frightened her but she needed an army to go with her castle. If she were Romulan, she should have nothing to fear from the beings that dwelled in her ocean she reasoned. Had she spent more time with the occupants that shared her internal world she would probably have a different understanding but that was the theory she was going with right now. Taking a deep breath, she waked knee deep into the waves and waited. Within moments, the water started to bubble and foam. Forms emerged from the deep, filing past her up the path and over the dune. Enid followed after them, smiling. 

***

Rynar entered Enid’s room and glowered at the sleeping girl with crossed arms. She was in her bed with a blanket pulled up over her shoulders. He should have removed the bedding, he mused although how the girl had managed to climb into the bed was beyond him. Perhaps she was developing a tolerance to the drug? He fiddled with the hypospray in his pocket. 

The girl had mounted an admirable defense at first. Without the drug, he would have never invaded her mind. S’ril’s journals did not do the girl’s internal world justice, the alicorn had been a formidable foe. He smiled at the memory and shifted his position. Who knew how connected violence and arousal would be? His people had long ago given up such barbary but instead of being repulsed by his urges he found himself intoxicated. He had just made up his mind to continue his work when S’lar entered. 

“T’vel’s message made it through,” the other man informed him. 

Rynar pursed his lips, “Are the transports moving yet?” 

“No,” S’lar stated, “O’Dare no doubt won’t resume operations at the station until they have the girl.” 

“What are you suggesting?” Rynar didn’t want to kill the girl. He wanted her power. He knew he could force a bonding given enough time. Then, if legend were true, he would have her abilities. They would have to keep the girl alive, but she wouldn’t need to function. They had laid the groundwork. The girl had a degenerative condition so if she were to fall out of public life, no one would say anything. They could keep the girl drugged and institutionalized for years. That had been the plan until T’vel had defected. 

“I think we need to move her,” S’lar suggested the secret room in the ruins, “No one knows about the chamber. It’s soundproof and no one can access it without Enid. We can keep her there until her friends give up looking for her.” S’lar had done extensive analysis of the chamber and knew that it would not be detectable by sensors unless someone knew what to look for. There was an added bonus that transport was rendered impossible by mineral deposits in the ruins. S’lar reasoned they could hold out in the ruins for some time then they’d figure out a way to get the girl off the planet once the Federation News Service was gone.

“That may take a while,” Rynar commented, “We will need supplies.” He directed S’lar to assemble what would be needed. Rynar decided he had time for another session. 

As he walked to the bed he stepped on a broken hoof from the girl’s figurine collection. He picked it up and sat on the bed. He stroked the girl’s hair then caressed her cheek with the sharp shard drawing a red line from her ear to her chin. Admiring his handy work, he drew another line from her ear down her neck ending just between her breasts. When she didn’t stir it occurred to him that maybe they had administered too strong a dose of the drug. Maybe they had killed the child? He felt her neck for a pulse; no she was alive. He took a handful of the girl's white hair in his fist and pulled her up. Her eyes parted slightly. Good, he thought, the drug was still working. He placed his fingers on her face and slid into her mind. It was much as he left it but dark. In the moonlight he could see the bloodied body of the alicorn on the beach. He looked out to sea and saw nothing but black after a few meters. He walked up the path that led over the dune. She wasn’t under her tree. He didn’t want to take time for this. Reaching out his hand he set fire to the meadow thinking that would flush out the girl. When the fire burned out and the girl hadn’t emerged Rynar considered the mountains. Could she have made for the mountains? He turned towards the castle; there were lights on in the keep. He set off for the castle. 

Rynar burned a path through the dense thorny growth that surrounded the castle's moat. The drawbridge was up so Rynar extended his arm. The massive wood structure groaned as it fell forward until it landed with a loud boom. He walked unhampered through the gatehouse into the courtyard. The keep was a rectangular building with a large oak door. Several stories up, above the door was a large window. Light flickered from the window as a shadow passed in front of it. Rynar couldn’t help but muse about the utility of the fortress, both within the girl’s mind and if it were real. He decided the structure would have merits in the feudal system from which the design was taken. Given the girl’s propensity for fantasy he would have thought there would be more magical creatures in the moat. The moon hid behind a cloud so the only light was from the window of the keep which sliced a yellow swath through the grass. As he started down the path he noticed a mass of shadows moving along the curtain wall. He quickened his pace, the shadows shifted and swarmed until they filled in the space between him and the keep. He paused, what manner of creature had she dreamed up? He didn’t have to wait long for the answer as the black mass rushed towards him. He found himself on his back staring at the ceiling of Enid's room. 

The girl remained lifeless as Rynar approached the bed. She had repelled him! Even in this state, she expelled him from her consciousness! S’lar entered the room to inform him that everything was ready. Rynar pulled the girl towards him, planning to toss her over his shoulder. As she turned she shoved a sharp object deep into his upper arm. He dropped her and she bounced off the bed. Rolling to the floor she sprung for the door weapon still in hand. 

Enid had been aiming for Rynar’s neck or at least his upper chest but was disoriented from the drug that had been given to her. She stumbled on wobbly legs towards S’lar who easily caught her wrist, twisted her arm back before pivoting sideways. He then planted his other hand between her shoulder blades and pressed her against the wall, leaning in with his body to pin her. He applied pressure to her wrist until she dropped her weapon. Frantic, Enid did the only other thing she could think of. With a snap, she was freed to barrel frantically down the hallway with Rynar in pursuit. Rynar stopped to examine S’lar giving Enid a head start however it didn’t take him long to determine the man was beyond help. Unwittingly she provided obstacles for her pursuer as she staggered into and overturned furniture or knocked pictures off the walls. She gained the door faster then bolted down the path, unaware of the sting of frozen stones on her bare feet. She fell several times earning her scapes on her arms and knees until she reached the old tree where the small path met the main road. She stopped to look back. She squinted through double vision but couldn’t find Rynar. Perhaps he had given up pursuit? 

She whirled around and smacked head on into a solidly built man with pointed ears. Not caring if he were Romulan or Vulcan she tried to shove him out of the way. The man caught her and held her by the shoulders. Fank had seen Enid bolt from the house. When Rynar emerged in pursuit, he let fly a round of disrupter fire that drove the Vulcan back into the house. Calming down shivering, battered, frightened little girls was not his area of expertise but he had attended Narek’s briefing outlining how agents might need to respond in such an event. It just seemed easier in theory than he was finding it now. 

Step one, don’t appear threatening. He released her, extending his arms out exposing his chest. 

Step two, reassure her. “I’m not going to hurt you!” he called loudly. She’s not deaf, he corrected himself. 

Step three, attend to her physical needs. Fank could see the outline of her body through the thin, white, sleeveless shift. He took off his jacket and slipped it over her shoulders then he carefully backed away keeping his arms extended. His jacket extended well beyond her knees. It hung lopsided on her body.

Step four, build rapport. He smiled, “There, that’s better, right?” He was encouraged when she nodded. 

Step five, suggest a course of action. “Come on...We need to get you inside…” 

Step six....Really this was ridiculous, he thought, I’m fucking Tal Shiar! Not a... He was flung backwards about five meters into a ditch alongside the path before he could finish the thought. By the time he caught his breath and climbed out of the ditch, Enid was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

Ni’ael and Narek met Fank at S’ril’s residence. They found a path of destruction that led to Enid’s room. S’lar lay dead on the floor, eyes open, his head twisted backwards. There was blood, both green and red. 

“There’s a good deal more green blood than red,” Narek observed. They found the weapon. 

“It’s organic,” Fank said. To Narek it looked like the tip of Boo’s horn. 

“While we are here, we need to collect Enid’s drawings,” Ni’ael gestured towards the wall. Narek suggested they search the house for Enid’s notebooks as well. They were found in S’ril’s den along with a tablet that Rynar had left on the desk. Narek read its screen and handed it to Ni’ael. Narek had heard of the Diaspora from Rahmda. It predated the settlement of Vulcan. Ni’ael placed the tablet along with the drawings. Narek stuck Boo’s feather into the inside pocket of his jacket before transporting the items to Ni’ael’s office. 

They found S’ril in his bed, clinging to life. “What do we do with him?” Fank asked just as Ni’ael received a notice in his ear. He looked at the fading Vulcan.

“Nothing for now,” Ni’ael told them, “The local authorities were on their way. Rynar hadn’t been the only one to intercept T’vel’s confession, an unregistered ship picked up the signal.” 

“What unregistered ship?” Narek asked.

“One you know,” Ni’ael studied Narek carefully, “La Serina.” Ni’ael wasn’t sure what he was watching for but was pleased that the younger man’s response was measured.

“What is La Serina’s interest in this?” Picard was aboard that vessel. What was it Rios said about Picard and interfering? 

“A’den has engaged their services,” Ni’ael was growing weary of this mission. There were getting to be too many variables. 

“So they are coming here?” Narek guarded his expression. He never anticipated seeing Soji again. No, she was supposed to be dead. Picard had interfered then. He couldn’t afford for it to happen again. 

“They will arrive sometime tomorrow,” Ni’ael confirmed. Narek didn’t ask what Ni’ael thought was the most pertinent question; why hadn’t their listening station relayed the information? They most certainly intercepted it. Plutarch would be most interested in this development. 

By Ni’ael’s estimate, they had at most 17 hours to secure their target. He laid out his plan. His operatives had leaked the salacious information to the Federation News Service so people gathered even before Tim O’Dare could assemble his team eager to see the abusive Vulcan cult that enslaved the disabled albino. Ni’ael’s goal was to dilute the colony's security forces so he could expand his footprint. He already had two plants within the settlement’s security offices. Narek was directed to meet with Rone and Missy at the infirmary. Operatives had already checked for Enid at the library and in the cave. The rectory was an obvious destination so they had someone there as well but judging by the vitals Narek had collected, they couldn’t just wait for her to turn up. 

“She’s probably in worse shape now,” Narek observed. 

“Much worse,” Fank said. Narek regarded Fank. His failure to coax Enid jeopardized the mission and may even have cost Enid her life. He couldn’t fault the man however, Enid seemed to be growing stronger in adversity. 

The mercurial weather on this planet was predicted to turn again. It had been mild the past two days but there was a freeze advisory tonight. They needed to get the girl in before nightfall. These were Narek’s thoughts as he entered the infirmary. 

“You aren’t welcome here,” Missy said when she saw the Tal Shiar operative. 

“I have information,” Narek pulled Rone aside, “She escaped. She’s been drugged and she is injured.” He pulled out a tablet and handed it to Rone.

Rone studied the tablet and groaned, “They used POP. That has a hell of a let down.” POP was the common name for a substance that had been causing a crisis in the region for the past year. The withdrawal symptoms were severe and addiction could take hold after only one use. He included the antagonist drug for POP, hoping it would work. The effect of drugs in hybrids was unpredictable. The readings Narek supplied indicated that Enid was profoundly dehydrated so he prepared a portable IV unit as well. The weather was going to turn soon. He’d better prepare for hypothermia. 

“She disappeared by the tree where the path meets the road,” Narek was rewarded when Missy and Rone exchanged knowing looks, “You know where she is then?” He ventured. The pair hesitated, “We are not the only one’s looking for her,” he reminded them of the Orions syndicate. 

“Not exactly,” Rone answered, “Enid knows every micron of this settlement. We do know she’s underground.” 

“Underground,” Narek repeated. 

“The storm sewers,” Rone realized his future was slowly slipping away. He had seen the communication; True or not, he doubted Enid’s destiny lay in this little remote colony. As much as he loved her, he could not leave his mother and sister alone here. With his father gone, he needed to care for them as well. Enid was supposed to help coach and work at the bakery. Their neat little plan had come undone. Bitterness pushed at the back of his eyes but he fought it back for now. If Enid was going to have any future he needed to keep it together, “Enid can get nearly anywhere using the storm sewers.” 

“Rone!” Missy protested.

“Oh shove it!” Rone finished packing his kit, “Seriously, If we meet a Nausacaan in the sewers, you intend to interview him?” 

“We can bring Tim along!” Missy suggested, “And some deputies.” 

“We don’t have time to waste!” Rone took his kit and made for the door, “Enid’s wandering around the sewers. We don’t know her condition…” He leaned in and whispered to Missy, “We don’t know how she’s going to respond. You want to risk Tim?” 

“Enid wouldn’t…” Missy started. She had been shocked by how Enid killed their attackers last night. She never thought of her friend as dangerous before.

“We don’t know that,” Rone interrupted.. 

“We believe she killed S’lar,” Narek decided this bit of information was useful now, “Twisted his head all around.” He made a circular motion with his finger. 

“It was self defence!” Missy defended Enid. 

“She overpowered our operative,” Narek continued. She had once again shown restraint, she could have easily killed Fank but Narek didn’t mention this. 

“Enid is terrified and disorientated,” Rone persisted as they were in the elevator, “You feel that don’t you?” Everytime Rone tried to connect with Enid, he felt a wave of nausea which he attributed to the drug, “POP is a powerful drug, people react to it in different ways.” Rone knew that some people became irrationally violent and hoped Enid wasn’t one of them. Missy relented. 

They didn’t have to return to the intersection where Enid was last seen. Rone led him to a culvert near the infirmary. Evidently Missy and Rone knew every micron of the settlement as well. 

“We should assume she is returning to the rectory,” Missy said, “She left her backpack there,” Missy had found it under her bed after S’ril had left with her friend. She had packed one of the miniature drones that she often used to record subjects she was investigating. Her plan was to drop off the back pack with Dr. Hanson, and hope that Enid could figure out how to record what the Vulcans were doing to her. In retrospect it was a stupid plan. Enid was never going to school again. 

“We should probably start at the junction,” Missy said, “That would give us a clear view to Enid’s entry point so we don’t have to back track.” 

“Yeah,” Rone indicated for Narek to help him remove the grate that covered the culvert before they climbed in, “Keep alert,” he cautioned. When they reached the junction, Narek shined a light down the straight path. There was no sign of Enid. 

“Look!” Missy saw footprints in the mud leading to the Rectory, “She’s barefoot!” 

“Looks like she stumbled a bit here,” Narek pointed to the prints. He pulled out a molecular reconstructor and scanned the tunnel. 

Missy momentarily forgot herself in her fascination with the device, “If you had such a thing, why couldn’t you use it to find her?” She asked.

“Molecular reconstruction has limitations in open spaces,” Narek acknowledged. Enid had been this way and had stumbled, rested, and continued down another tunnel. She was still wearing Fank’s jacket. 

“She should be at the rectory then,” Rone concluded and they continued down the tunnel Enid had taken.   
***  
Enid had in fact been at the Rectory for some time. After losing Fank she walked until her numb feet could carry her no further. At the junction she fell. She felt so cold and so tired. If she could just rest for a bit, she thought she could get some strength back. She crouched on her feet and tried to pull the jacket down so that her whole body would be covered. She closed her eyes.

“Get up, Enid,” S’ril’s voice prodded. She looked around, seeing nothing, she closed her eyes again, “GET UP!” the command startled her and she stood up. Papa was with her. He had indicated that she should follow him. She didn’t question the absurdity of his appearance; Papa was too sick to be up and in the tunnels. She just followed him through the remaining tunnels to the one that would lead to the basement of the church. Finding no one at the church or the rectory, S’ril drew Enid a warm bath with bubbles just like when she was little. She slid under the warm water. Her feet came to life again and she wiggled her toes through the bubbles. 

“Don’t fall asleep in there!” Papa called from the hallway while lightly knocking on the door. Bubble baths always made her drowsy but she was so glad to have her papa’s undivided attention. After she washed her hair he presented her with a towel, a soft fluffy robe, and some slippers that she recognized as belonging to Missy. Enid sat on Missy’s bed while S’ril brushed her hair before wrapping it up in a towel and kissing her forehead. It wasn’t a Vulcan gesture she knew, but Papa always made exceptions for Enid. 

“You’ll want this,” S’ril reached under Missy’s bed to retrieve her backpack. Enid smiled. She wanted to go to sleep but Papa insisted that she go down stairs to the kitchen. He brought her some milk and put the cookie jar on the table. He placed her backpack on the chair next to her and took the seat across from her, “I had a plan,” he told her, “It wasn’t supposed to be this way,” Enid wasn’t sure what he meant but he seemed so sad. She reached out to assure him she was alright but he shook his head, “Kaiidth, I thought we had more time...Picard will help you... Remember, I loved you.” 

She could hear a buzz. It took a few moments to understand that it was real and coming from the communication panel. Cookies in hand, she regarded the red blinking light. She freed up one hand by putting a cookie in her mouth then pressed the light. It turned green.

“We have someone!” Raffe called when the communication channel opened to the rectory. A’den provided the crew with every contact he had on Kiara but no one had answered so far. The last thing that anyone expected was to see the robed girl, her hair wrapped in a towel, face cut and bruised, eating cookies. 

Enid returned to her spot at the table. She took a long gulp of milk then grabbed more cookies. Raffe winced, the girl’s hands were too swollen to grasp so the girl held the glass with both hands. 

“Little Bee!” A’den breathed, “Your hands!” His sister studied her hands then shrugged. 

“Sweetheart,” Raffe said, “Are you alone?” Enid made the sign for Papa. 

“Papa’s there?” A’den asked, “Can I talk to him?” A’den didn’t dare to hope that his father and sister were both well and at the rectory. It didn’t seem possible. Enid tried to hold up a finger. She disappeared for a moment. 

“He’s gone,” she signed. 

“Gone?” A’den asked. Enid attempted to sign but A’den had a hard time understanding her swollen hands. 

“Gone,” she said telepathically. “He was here a minute ago.” A’den couldn’t tell if Enid meant gone out of the rectory or gone out of this life. 

Rios looked from Raffe to Agnes and then to Elnor, “You all heard that right?” he mouthed. Everyone nodded, “What about you two?” he gestured to Picard. Picard and Soji nodded as well. 

“Where is Missy?” A’den asked. Enid shrugged, studying the cookie jar which was empty. She was still hungry. She wondered what else was in the house? Muriel O’Dare often hid treats from her swarm of locust family. Gingerly she pulled open cabinets. She couldn’t see behind the dishes so she tried to pull herself up on the counter only to find her hands would not cooperate. She pulled a chair over and used it to climb on the countertop. Since Missy and her siblings had moved out, the O’Dares had installed a replicator so apparently there was less need to store food. Enid wasn’t very good with replicators. 

“Enid!” A’den tried to regain her attention, “Where did Papa go?” 

Enid stopped her search and sat on the countertop, “I don’t know. He said Picard can help.” She had a thought; sometimes snacks were hidden in the hall closet. She hopped off the counter and trotted off leaving A’den and the crew of La Serina staring dumbly at the O’Dares empty kitchen. She returned moments later, empty handed and pouting. 

“I’m still hungry,” Enid said. 

“Tell us what happened,” Raffe suggested, “Help us understand what is going on.” 

Enid took a seat at the table again. Raffe’s mind appealed to Enid. She felt motherly. She closed her eyes for a moment then said, “Rynar hurt me, but I ran away.” Raffe looked from Picard to Rios. She looked at A’den who made a gesture of deference. 

“Hurt you how?” she asked.

“He killed Boo,” large tears rolled down her cheeks. 

“I don’t understand,” Raffe began.

“Boo is Enid’s imaginary friend,” A’den informed Raffe quietly, “How did he do that Enid?” he asked.

The salty water stung the cuts Rynar had made. She reached up and touched them, “He cut me,” she commented mostly to herself although La Serina could also hear her. “When did that happen?” 

“Yes,” A’den coaxed, “but how did he kill Boo?” The cuts were superficial compared to the loss of Boo. Raffe looked at A’den with concern. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to push the girl when she was alone? 

“He came to the beach,” Enid’s eyes grew wide, “He killed Boo.” 

“I’m sorry,” was all A’den could say. He knew this was bad. If Rynar was on the beach, he was in her mind. Forced mind melds could be damaging alone but Boo was the mediator between her conscious and unconscious minds. Boo helped his sister solve problems. He wasn’t sure what that meant for Enid. 

“He liked it,” her memories became a landslide, “He liked killing Boo!” Her hands flew to her mouth, “It made him hard!” He had hurt her and he liked it. As that thought sunk in she felt growing fear. “Where is Rynar?”


	16. Chapter 16

Ni’ael sent Fank back to the checkpoint to monitor the Romulan protests while he donned a knit hat which he pulled over his ears and brows. He fell behind Tim’s team and entered the house. Ni’ael was always impressed with what he could pull off merely by acting like he belonged. Humans, in particular, didn’t usually question someone who behaved in expected ways. He followed Tim into S’ril’s room. Tim reached over to take S’ril’s pulse. 

“You have to see this,” someone called from the other room. 

Tim gestured absently at Ni’ael, “Watch him,” he said as he left the room. Yes, Ni’ael was often amazed at how trusting humans could be. He smiled as he studied the dying Vulcan. 

“Why involve Picard?” Ni’ael leaned over and whispered, “Enid belongs to the Rihannsu.” S’ril strained to lift his head. Ni’ael removed his hat. 

“Enid belongs to no one,” S’ril corrected. 

“It would seem that Rynar is not in agreement.” 

“Rynar...” S’ril clutched at Ni’ael’s arm, “He...It’s dangerous…” S’ril was fading but Ni’ael needed more information. He took out a hypo and injected the failing Vulcan. 

The Vulcan’s eyes cleared and his voice was stronger when he replied, “The enemy...We watch...”

“How Vulcan of you,” Ni’ael drawled. Vulcans were useless pacifists. Ni’ael knew something of the Diaspora and of the order. It had not always been about watching, “We will take Enid with us.” Lorlani had made it clear that Enid belonged to Romulans. 

“You will pervert her,” S’ril tried to sit but fell back into his bed.

“And exactly what is Rynar doing?” Ni’ael could see the Vulcan was suffering. He would have liked to have had S’ril in his interrogation room. How dare this Vulcan suppose he should determine Romulan destiny? He vacillated between watching the man suffer and ending his misery. Ni’ael did not practice mercy. When he killed a subject it was because he had grown bored. That being said, he found that he didn’t necessarily enjoy suffering when he hadn’t been the cause. 

“Kaiidth,” S’ril said weakly. 

Ni’ael’s furry forced itself through his veins. What is, is! He reached for old Vulcan’s throat and squeezed. S’ril had no defence. Ni’ael watched with curiosity as life left the other man's face. There was a spiritual quality to S’ril’s contortions as his face changed color before giving way to the inevitable. “Kaiidth,” he whispered through clenched teeth as S’ril slipped away. 

***

Missy, Rone, and Narek stood looking up to the church basement from the storm sewer. Enid had left the cover off the opening so a faint light shone at the top of the ladder. She had been this way and was strong enough to push open the heavy security door. Rone went up first, then Narek, and then Missy who insisted on not turning her back on the operative. Enid had left a trail of muddy prints across the basement to the stairs that led to the rectory’s kitchen. Rone burst into the kitchen first to find Enid with her hands over her face. 

“Rynar!” she repeated pacing the kitchen. 

“Enid,” he guided her to a seat, “Enid, Rynar is not here. You’re safe. I need to get a look at you.” He gently guided her hands down. 

“Dear God!” Missy turned away, horrified, “Sick fucker!” 

“Missy,” Rone said wearily, “Maybe you and Narek can wait in the other room.” 

“What is he doing there!” Elnor asked, glaring at Narek. All three turned to see the open communication panel. 

“If we could all just keep our heads here,” Rone insisted, running his medical tricorder over Enid. He had administered the antagonist drug, she should feel its effects soon. She wasn’t in too bad of shape, he decided, she just needed some patching up. She was still dehydrated. He took a pen light and moved it in front of her eyes. Taking sideways glances, she batted at the light that danced in front of her face, “Enid, look forward,” Rone coached. Enid sat up straight and tried to comply. It was difficult. There was so much going on. “What happened to your hands?” Rone asked absently, not expecting a response.

“Hours of pounding on her door, begging for her papa,” Narek conjectured. 

Raffe inhaled sharply, “Poor girl.” 

“Is someone going to say what he’s doing there?” Elnor persisted. Rone gestured for Missy to handle the situation as he set up an IV. 

Missy shrugged, “We keep telling him he’s not welcome,” she threw up her hands, “but he keeps showing up.” 

“If I didn’t she’d be dead,” Narek mocked her tone. 

“Oh please!” Missy spun around, hands on her hips, “Enid killed the Klingons, not you. And the Nausicaan, too.” 

“Enid killed a Nausicaan?” A’den repeated. 

“And Klingons--as in multiple?” Rios added. If she was telekinetic... 

“You’re forgetting the roof!” Narek countered smiling, “That was me. And who kept the Vulcans from ruining date night?” he gestured to Rone who rolled his eyes and shook his head. Rone was finishing up on Enid’s hands and aimed the dermal regenerator on her face. 

“What man, on what roof?” demanded A’den. His little sister was apparently on a killing spree. 

“How about S’lar?” Missy interjected, “And didn’t you say she overpowered your agent?” 

“If it weren’t for our agent,” Narek pointed out, “Rynar would probably be raping Enid right now.” 

“Hey,” Rone smacked Narek in the arm and gestured towards Enid. He looked at Missy, “I’m begging you, take this in the other room.” 

“I need to know what is happening with my sister,” A’den pressed. 

Narek studied the expressions on the faces of La Serina’s crew and determined his objective had been met. He wanted Rios to think twice about getting involved with A’den and his sister. No one wants to be in the vacuum of space with a violent, mentally unstable telekinetic. The only one who did not appear phased by Enid’s apparent killing spree was Elnor and he wasn’t in charge. Narek withdrew to the doorway of the kitchen, out of sight of the communication panel. It would be dangerous to manipulate Enid directly, so Narek focused his attention on those around her. He needed to erode her options until she would be left with the realization that her only choice was to leave with him. 

“I think we should let...Rone is it?” Picard spoke up, “We should let Rone do his work. Missy, can you switch to another panel?” Missy grudgingly went into the living room and activated the panel there. Narek remained in the doorway to the kitchen. He could hear what was being said in the living room but really needed to be sure Enid was safe. 

“Ms. O’Dare,” Picard spoke as if he were speaking to a first year cadet, “are you aware that Narek is a known Tal Shiar operative?” 

“I had an interview with him,” Missy said matter of factly while plopping herself on the couch, “Rone never told me that Enid was Romulan.” Narek had used her to get close to Enid. She was angry at herself and she was angry at Narek. 

He knows Enid is Romulan, Narek thought as he watched Picard’s reaction, Of course, he knows. He’s seen T’vel’s confession. Narek regretted that card was out of play.

“You knew Enid’s abilities yet you exposed her to a known enemy!” Picard was outraged at the girl's gullibility! 

Missy didn’t get a chance to retort. A thunderous boom shook the rectory. An alarm went off on the panel. Rone brought Enid into the room and helped settle her on the couch, “Something’s happened at the mine,” Rone’s PCD was blinking. 

“We should all go,” Enid said, which prompted a harmonized objection from Rone, Missy, and Narek. Enid considered a moment, “Then Mister Narek should go with you,” she suggested, “Mister Narek knows how to handle himself.” 

Students in the vocational program referred to their teachers as mister or miss followed by the teacher’s first name. Her use of the title indicated that she viewed him as an authority figure. Narek thought that was good. She was also trusting him with Rone. That was also good. He had plenty of agents outside and could monitor the conversation from Missy’s PCD. 

“Fine,” Narek agreed, “I’ll go but just so you know, I’m not a babysitter.”

“No, you're a pain in the ass,” Rone was dismissively, “Let’s change that to ass. You're just an ass,” he knew that Enid was afraid for him. He wanted her to rest so he agreed to take Narek with. Before leaving, he handed Missy the horgl and instructed Missy, “Snakeleaf helps with POP withdrawal,” then he knelt and took Enid’s head between his hands, “You need to rest,” he kissed her forehead, then her lips, “I love you.” He stood and spoke to Missy, “She needs rest. If she becomes agitated, encourage the snakeleaf.” 

After the men left, Enid looked at Missy, “You need to call Tim,” she said, “People need to evacuate.” 

“You're talking, Little Bee!” A’den had never heard Enid speak anything more than a few words at a time. 

“Evacuate?” Picard asked at the same time, “Why?” He had a lot of questions. Obviously A’den’s question was compelling but there was also the matter of Narek. Enid obviously trusted Narek to some extent. Surely the girl would sense danger from the Tal Shiar operative? All these questions and more existed simultaneously in his brain however his Starfleet training won out. He needed to address the threat to life first. 

Enid didn’t know how to answer two questions at once and couldn’t prioritize for herself to which one to answer first. She was stuck. 

“Snakeleaf has that effect on Ena,” Missy intervened. She didn’t know the answer to the second question. Raffe interjected that there was research to support the use of snakeleaf in people like Enid. 

“But the research is all done on full blooded Betazoids,” Missy commented to Raffe. Raffe agreed with Missy, research on hybrids was never going to catch up with...

“Enid!” Picard boomed, “Why do you want people to evacuate?” Picard was unaware that Enid’s own confusion was fueling the random conversation. She didn’t do it on purpose, it just happened. People had difficulties concentrating when Enid was out of sorts. She was very out of sorts now. She knew Rone had to go to the mine, there were people who were hurt. She also knew that he wasn’t coming back. Snakeleaf was doubled edged, she could find her thoughts even the one’s she didn’t want to. She hoped that by sending Narek that she had a better chance of seeing Rone again. That Narek had no incentive to save Rone didn’t occur to her, she knew that he wanted to help her. She had felt it. Enid didn’t understand that Narek’s desire to be helpful was defined by his mission. Boo was always good at pointing out inconsistencies such as this. 

“Enid!” Picard was determined to gain Enid’s attention, “Enid! What are you afraid of?” 

“Spiders,” she said. 

“Spiders?” Picard thought he understood. He had asked, “What are you afraid of?” and she had answered, “Spiders.” She was afraid of spiders, but what was going to happen at the colony? “Enid, why do people need to evacuate?”

“Spiders,” she said, “Giant spiders.” On some level, she was aware of the ridiculousness of her statement. No one had ever believed her. She knew the spiders had been in the mine since time began. They were old, older than life in this sector of space. For over a decade she had tried to warn people but they either didn’t understand or didn’t believe her. “No one ever believes me.” Her eyes flooded. She bit her lip and flapped her hands in front of her face, “Your dad closed the station to protect me,” she said to Missy, her eyes haunted, “He needs to open it now. People need to leave!”

“I’ll call him, now!” Missy thought she should let someone know Enid was safe at the rectory. She opened her PCD and walked across the room, “See? I’m calling,” she assured her friend. 

“Enid,” A’den leaned into the communications panel, “This Narek can’t be trusted.”

“That’s what she said,” Enid giggled and pointed to Soji. It was a bad joke, and one that didn’t quite fit but she couldn’t help herself. She didn’t understand how hurtful it was to the synthetic. Between the drugs and her injuries her judgement was impaired. 

“Young lady!” Picard interrupted. Missy finished with her call and offered Enid the horgl. 

“I don’t need more drugs,” Enid insisted laughing. 

“Enid, Rone said,” Missy soothed. Enid compiled grudgingly. She stopped laughing. 

“Enid,” A’den ventured, “Tell me about the snakeleaf.” 

“Remember when Papa used to take us to the ocean?” Enid asked A’den. 

“I remember,” A’den said, “I remember you hated it.” 

“I used to clutch at your arm and cry,” Enid saw A’den’s face soften, “And when Papa insisted that I go in the water, you tried to distract me by looking for seashells under the waves.”

“Yes,” A’den encouraged her, “I remember that you were frustrated when the waves pulled away the shells before you could grab them.” His sister had always been afraid of the ocean but why was she bringing it up now? 

Enid nodded, “My thoughts are like those shells,” she began, “I usually can’t grab one in time for all the noise.” Enid explained that she was buffeted by wave after wave of other people’s thoughts. It was bearable most days, actually enjoyable so long as no one made demands of her. Her mind converted the chaos to music, but sometimes the sound was deafening. It took great effort to speak, even with sign language. Talking to a group telepathically was also difficult, Enid had better results if she could bring people into her internal landscape, or as with Rone, create a shared landscape. 

What an interesting way of living, Picard thought. “So snakeleaf quiets your mind?” Picard asked. 

“Yes,” Enid’s face fell again and tears pushed against the corners of her eyes, wanting freedom, “It’s nice to be able to whisper in someone’s ear.” She was thinking of Rone. She remembered the first time she had whispered, I love you, into his ear. She liked to hear the words even if she could feel it telepathically. Saying it in return was a treasure. 

Picard was moved to silence. Speaking was something he took for granted. While he might find her novel perception of the world interesting, she would have a different perspective. He didn’t think there was anything he could say that wouldn’t sound patronizing so he decided to find out more about what had happened. “Rynar hurt you,” he started, “But you escaped...how?” 

Enid’s eyes widened and she grinned broadly, “I walked in the ocean.” 

Another mystery, Picard thought. He looked at A’den for elaboration. A’den started to explain Enid's inner landscape but gave up, “Later,” he said. How to quickly explain that Enid’s ocean covered the memories of the Romulans killed in the supernova? 

“Your ocean?” A’den asked. 

“I stood in the water,” her face was alight, “I stood in the water and they came out,” 

“Who?” Picard asked, “Who came out?”

“They fought for me,” she beamed, “I didn’t know they would, but Narek thinks I’m Romulan so I thought I’d try...And they did.” 

“Did he tell you that you were Romulan?” A’den would have rather been the one to do that.

Enid thought about it, “No,” she said. Sometimes it was hard to determine what someone said and what they thought, “No, Narek is a lot thinker.”

“Lot thinker?” Picard asked. The girl had her own vernacular. 

“A lot thinker,” A’den corrected. He explained that this was what Enid called people who choose their words carefully. Enid could learn a lot from listening to their inner dialog. 

“Sometimes they surprise themselves,” Enid added. A’den explained that Enid enjoyed the compositional texture of these minds and they figured largely into the ballets she had composed. 

“You mean they sound good to her,” Picard clarified, “A dance in someone’s mind.” He would love to talk to her for hours on this subject but he needed to redirect to Narek, “What happened on the roof?” he asked. 

“A man wanted to take me to see my mother,” Enid said. She was glad for the distraction as all paths seemed to lead to sadness today, “He scared me, but I was thinking of going.” 

“And Narek stopped you,” Picard summarized, “How?” Enid hesitated. The communication panel was programmed to shift to the person talking unless no one was talking, then it would shift to a wider angle. Right now, Picard’s face filled the screen which was overwhelming. She shifted her body so she could see Picard from her peripheral vision. 

“He explained,” She rocked in her seat, “my mother didn’t want me. She tried to kill me.” 

Picard looked at A’den who nodded solemnly. “I don’t know how he would know that,” A’den said, “But it happened.” 

“I must be loathsome,” Enid said flatly. Missy had been watching her friend. It had been a while since she had spent this much time paying attention to her. She sat on the couch next to Enid and put her arm around her shoulders. 

“Rone wants her to rest,” Missy didn’t want her friend upset any further. 

“I know this is hard,” Picard started. Another thunderous boom shook the room, this one sounded closer. The power went out.


	17. Chapter 17

Rone walked briskly from the rectory to the check point with Narek following in silence. Enid had seen something coming and now it was here. That she was worried about his safety did not bother him as much as the trust she evidently put in the Tal Shiar operative. With Boo gone, her judgement was off, he figured. 

A triage center was set up at the checkpoint. The damage was not limited to the mine, the Romulan settlement had been hard hit. He checked in with his supervisor who was talking with a Romulan doctor and another blonde Romulan. The Romulans did not have the facilities to cope with this number of wounded and they were negotiating the transfer of Romulan citizens to the infirmary. Rone was tasked with deciding who to transfer and who could be treated at the site. Narek stayed back to talk with the blonde Romulan. 

“This one,” Rone said after scanning a gravely injured older man. The orderly was stopped by a sober looking Romulan. 

“There are others that are more promising,” he said. 

“More promising?” Rone crossed his arms over his chest. 

“He is old,” the man said, “And he may not survive. There are younger men with better chances…”

“He should survive,” Rone was not going to be told how to triage but this arrogant son of a… 

“Excuse me,” Narek had been watching the exchange with concern and excused himself from Ni’ael. Humans did not share Romulan values. Under these circumstances, this man would not be afforded resources but he thought it would be beneficial to the mission to humor Rone at the moment. Narek and the other man exchanged words in Romulan. The other man backed off. 

“Thank you,” Rone mumbled as the orderlies left with the injured man. 

“You think we are cruel,” Narek observed. 

“I don’t have time to consider that now,” Rone spun and continued his work without further argument from his Romulan beneficiaries. 

Ni’ael was speaking to a human when Narek returned, “The Fisher’s have not been seen since the synths arrived,” he told Narek after the human was out of earshot. The two stood off to the side, out of the way of the medical personnel. Narek surveyed the damage, this was a high cost in terms of life all to recover Enid. He was determined not to fail. White flakes started falling from the sky. It was not snow. 

***

“Reestablish the connection!” Picard barked at Raffe. 

“It’s planet wide,” Raffe studied the screen in front of her. 

“We have to find out what is happening,” Rios found this frustrating. La Serina was warping headlong into a hornet’s nest from what he could make out. 

“Do you know what your sister means when she says giant spiders?” Agnes asked, “Are we talking tarantulas or larger?” 

“Much larger,” A’den brought up some images from his father’s journals and transferred them to the screen, “These are sketches my father did of Enid’s visions.” The drawings were not as disturbing as Enid’s own drawings but were equally graphic.

“Your father did these?” Rios studied the drawings, “from Enid’s description?” A’den made a noncommittal gesture. If A’den wasn’t aware of the snakeleaf, it was very likely that Enid hadn’t used it when the drawings were made. He didn’t believe that she was capable of giving the amount of detail needed to render these drawings. From the dates on the drawings some were twelve years old. This asshole was still hiding something, Rios thought. 

Agnes had seen the dates as well, “This would put her at seven then,” she wanted to be sure before she said anything more. 

“Six actually,” A’den said.

“Your six year old sister mute gave that level of detail?” Rios raised his eyebrow.

“My father used mind melds,” he admitted evenly. He knew the accusations that were coming as he had made the same ones of his father when he learned the truth. It was just before he left for school. He had woken up early and caught his father engaging in a meld with his sister. She had been so scared to relive the dreams. It seemed cruel. There were a few times in his sister’s life that he’d been driven to violence to protect her, and this had been one. Of course, S’ril was not Dinih. He had easily bested his son. Then S’ril explained Enid's true nature. 

“Vulcan’s don’t mind-meld until they are in their twenties,” Agnes said. She didn’t want to accuse S’ril of anything but Vulcan law forbade mind melds with children. 

“Enid is a special case,” A’den began. 

Agnes shook her head, “I’m not aware of any special circumstance…”

“How about the absorption of hundreds of millions of Romulan minds?” He snapped, although he knew the melds had been going on before that, “The supernova almost killed Enid.” He explained that she had suffered seizures. She and Boo couldn’t handle the onslaught of consciousness reaching out to her. S’ril had to recontour Enid’s internal landscape. He created the ocean to cover the echo of Romulan suffering so Enid and Boo could have respite. 

“If Rynar killed Boo,” Picard asked, “What implications does that have for your sister?” He didn’t like putting a potential child abuse alegaiton on hold. The issue would be dealt with but they needed A’den’s cooperation to help the girl now. 

“I am contemplating that myself,” A’den admitted, “My father always thought that if Boo died, Enid died. However, given the circumstances, she seemed to be coping well. She had managed to get away from Rynar and found her way to the rectory. It is something that will have to be monitored.” He was hoping that Picard’s offer of the vineyard was still valid, “If you are still willing to give her sanctuary.” 

“I have not reconsidered,” Picard said. He had talked to Laris and Zhaban. They were looking forward to the company. “I would like to know exactly what I have agreed to, though. You have not been forthcoming.” 

A’den admitted that he had withheld information. He hadn’t counted on such intense interest from the Orions. Picard, Raffe, and Rios fired off questions at A’den. It was unnerving how much information they had on the order, S’ril, and Dinih. They knew about the large payments to Dinih. They showed him T’vel’s confession. A’den explained that he planned to arrive before Rynar. If he had been able to convince Rynar that he could replace his father, La Serina would only have to deliver them to a new home. 

“Wait,” Rios stopped him, “You are part of this order?” 

“My father thought it would be best,” A’den explained, “In case Enid needed me to take his place.” 

“How did your father find Enid?” Elnor had been quietly assessing the situation. To his way of thinking, S’ril had purchased a baby girl and subjected her to invasive mind probes for no apparent benefit. Enid seemed to be under attack from all sides and he wasn’t sure that he even trusted A’den with her. “Why should we trust you?”

A’den did not plan to tell La Serina about how his mother had foretold Enid. He did not plan to tell them how the council, headed by Rynar, ordered S’ril to seek out Dinih and secure the child. His father had told him about the heated arguments concerning his mother’s prophecy. Rynar wanted Enid destroyed but S’ril had successfully swayed enough members to override him. He was sure that Rynar was responsible for his father’s illness. A’den did not want to share this information but did. In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace, he thought. The days of secrecy were ending and A’den was relieved.

“Vulcans are telepathic, but I’ve never heard of them being clairvoyants.” Picard said.

“The order has meditation techniques. To be an oracle requires decades of study.” A’den explained. 

“Your mother was in the order as well?” Picard asked, “How did she die?” A’den acknowledged that his mother was indeed in the order but she died of a neurological condition that while rare among the general Vulcan population, was common among Oracles. His mother had died in service of the order. Now it looked like his father would as well.

“Why do you call her Little B?” Raffe asked after he finished partially to ease the strain in the room. Aden’s face relaxed, for that was something he was glad to talk about. 

“One of the first things that Enid learned to do telekinetically was to open flower blossoms,” he told her, “She calls it flower popping. It brings her great joy.” He knew that words would not describe the effect popping flowers had on his sister, “She would cover an entire field, running from flower to flower popping them and giggling.

“Like a bee!” Raffe said, “How sweet!”

“Plants with multiple buds,” he recollected, “Those were the best! She would skip circles around them then pop all the buds and squeal, flapping her hands.” This prompted a discussion of Enid’s psionic abilities.

Soji listened carefully. Enid was a telepath that could hear synthetics. She could kill with a thought and evidently trusted Narek. 

***

Missy looked out the window. The second tremor had brought people into the streets looking for answers. Tim O’Dare and his team trudged door to door through a layer of ash that was accumulating checking for injuries and telling the uninjured to stay off the streets as long as their structure was sound. Something had erupted in the mine. 

“Everyone ok here?” he asked when Missy answered the door. He was surprised to see Enid all patched up. Aside from dark circles under her eyes, she looked no worse for wear. He advised Missy that they had not found Rynar yet so Enid should stay put. He also mentioned that S’lar had been killed in the same way as the Klingons and the Nausicaan. He didn’t believe that Narek was responsible for the killings and thought Missy should know. 

Muriel returned from the station with several of Missy’s brothers and opened the church as refuge for those whose homes were destroyed. Enid helped distribute blankets then played with some of the younger children to keep them entertained. She took them to the sanctuary and pulled out the pimex cards that Tom left for her at the station. She taught the children a simple card game that came to mind. She had never played the game before but the rules were simple enough and the children were engaged. 

The second tremor had disrupted communication all over the colony so there was no way for Rone to contact Enid. Narek too, had no clue what was happening inside the rectory as well which was disconcerting. There were still agents posted around the rectory so he knew Enid was still there and appeared to be well. At last report the albino was playing cards with some children in the sanctuary of the church. So much for getting some rest, he thought.

The man Ni’ael was talking with returned with Rone and Tim, “Everything is under control here,” he informed them, “We are going up to the mine. Some of your people are still missing.” Ni’ael agreed to send Narek to facilitate communication with any Romulans they might encounter. 

They started with the Fisher’s main office. Narek had seen Enid’s drawing but it didn’t prepare him for what they found. Tim entered first, then Narek and the other human followed by Rone. 

“My services aren’t needed here,” was Rone’s comment as he studied the first naked Fisher hanging upside down. 

Mesmerized, Narek walked over to the body. He slipped but caught himself on the corner of the desk. He examined his boot then used the side of the desk to scrape a bloody mass from the bottom of his shoe. 

“They were alive when they were disemboweled,” Rone marshalled his clinical training as he scanned the remains. No one in the Fisher clan had been spared. Tim ushered everyone out and sealed the office. The cold front had come through and the men found the crisp air broke the spell cast by the carnage. 

“We need to check in the mine,” Tim wasn’t looking forward to this. They entered the mine through the employee entrance. There was a trail of green blood. There was an iridescent yellow substance as well. 

“I have no idea what this is,” Rone said. 

Narek pointed his handheld at the substance, “It appears to be some sort of lubricant.” They followed the trail of fluids several levels down before they were confronted with the naked bodies of several Romulans hanging from a catwalk. Narek recognized the men as those Ni’ael ordered to stay in the mine to monitor the synthetics. He struggled not to avert his eyes. He needed to determine what had happened. 

Another tremor rocked the tunnel. Narek pulled Rone out of the way as the ceiling collapsed. The floor gave way and the two men found themselves tumbling and sliding into the tunnel below. They looked up to see Tim through the hole in the structure above them. He called to them to hang on, help was on the way. 

“We aren’t alone,” Rone said, shining a light into a corner. A golden arm reached out from the rubble. 

“It’s functioning,” Narek commented. He shined a light around, looking for a way out. There were more synths on this level but they had been dismembered. He thought that if it were stable enough they could climb the rubble to the next level. There was another rumble and the floor cracked. Narek saw Rone slip through the crack and leaped forward to grab him. Too late, the man disappeared under the floor. “Damn!” Narek knew he’d have to find the young man. Enid would know if he didn’t at least try. Luckily, Rone was hanging on to a ledge created by the collapse. Narek stretched out and grabbed hold of Rone’s hand. 

“Thanks,” Rone said as he gained his footing, “I don’t think we should wait for Tim.” 

“Agreed,” Narek pointed out what he thought was their best option. It would be a tough climb for the human hybrid, he thought.

“Cardasians are bad ass too, you know,” Rone read the man’s expression and took offense. Narek let Rone take the lead occasionally giving him a boost. Narek concentrated hard on not looking down. Heights were uncomfortable for him but fighting to stay alive was a useful distraction. 

When Rone reached the top he offered a hand to Narek. Out of the hole, neither man wanted to waste time closing the distance to the exit. Unfortunately the exit to the mine had been blocked. It looked as though more debris had fallen in front of the opening. It didn’t make sense, they were on the top level.

“It’s metallic,” Rone observed knocking on what looked like a ceiling support. He turned to look at Narek whose distance gave him a better vantage to see the structure move. Even so he didn’t realize that they weren’t looking at a pile of debris until it was too late. A shaft of metal shot out of Rone’s chest. The young man looked down in shock. Blood spilled out of his mouth. The shaft withdrew from his chest and he fell to the floor. Narek watched the nightmare unfold. He didn’t count the legs but assumed that this was one of the spiders that Enid had mentioned to Picard before the communications went down. He walked backwards without taking his eyes off the looming beast. He could see the light of the entrance through the creature’s legs and thought that he might be able to make a dash for it. 

“Don’t leave me here,” Rone gasped through his blood, “You’ve seen what they do,” he pleaded. He didn’t want his mom to see his body like that. He didn’t want Enid…”Enid” he choked. Narek froze. She would know if he left Rone here. She would know he begged him. He was used to looking after himself and knew he could get out of this. He wasn’t sure that he could get out of this carrying the nearly dead Rone. A flash of gold flew past his peripheral vision, then another, and another. Three of the Fisher synthetics landed on the metallic arachnid. This was the chance he needed. He hoisted Rone over his shoulder and ran for the light. He didn’t stop when he reached the exit but sprinted through the snow. Rone lasted until he saw the snow then took his last breath with relief. 

Tim was coming towards the mine with a rescue team when he saw the Romulan spy running as if the devil himself were chasing him. The man had someone over his shoulder and Tim didn’t need to use much brainpower to figure out who it was. He stopped as he saw what emerged from the mine. He and the other officers dropped to their knees and let fly a barrage of phaser fire as Narek ran past. When the beast appeared lifeless, Tim held up his fist as a signal for his men to stop. They fell back to the checkpoint. He knew that the Enterprise was on it’s way and Tim was happy to leave further investigation of the mine to them. 

A makeshift morgue had been set up along the barrier fence. Narek paused, he was still carrying Rone. Rone wanted his body brought back to Enid, not placed in the snow next to dozens of others. He stared at the red and green stained footprints leading to the rows of bagged bodies. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He’d have to take Rone to the church. 

“Narek,” Ni’ael wondered if the younger man had any idea of how he looked, “You need to put down the dead man,” he was worried. Narek was christened head to foot in Rone’s blood. His eyes glistened with tears and were wild from the fight for survival. 

“Rone wanted to be taken to Enid,” he said, “Is she still at the church?” 

“You can’t show up there like that,” Ni’ael said. 

“Let’s get a stretcher,” Tim suggested. He understood that Enid would need to see Rone but didn’t want her to leave the church. She was safe there. He had no doubt that the unsavory characters interested in Enid would not take time off because of a catastrophe. A stretcher appeared and Narek allowed another someone to take Rone’s body. A blanket was pulled over the young medics face. 

Ni’ael ordered Fank to bring Narek a new jacket and offered him a cloth to clean up with, “You can go there looking like that,” he said. Narek slipped on the new jacket then checked the pockets of the abandoned blood soaked jacket. He retrieved his handheld, tan zhekran, and Boo’s feather. He was relieved that it was untouched by Rone’s blood. He touched the feather lightly to his forehead, lips, and then heart before placing it back in his breast pocket. Tim took the front of the stretcher and Narek took the rear. Tim sent an officer to the rectory to give his mother and Missy a heads up as to what was coming. Muriel was waiting outside the rectory when they arrived. She directed them to take Rone to the chapel around the corner. They set the stretcher in front of the altar. Missy brought Enid in. 

The snakeleaf had insulated her from the telepathic shock of Rone's death but nothing could shield her from this reality. Narek watched from the last row of pews as the fragile looking girl pulled back the blanket. He closed his eyes, steeling himself for the scream he was sure would come. When it didn’t come, he looked to see why. Enid was kneeling over Rone. A white glow enveloped them and Rone stirred. He tried to raise his head but fell lifeless again. Enid stood this time as the white glow intensified. She spread out her arms and seemed to draw more light in from the stained glass windows. She fell again across Rone. He stirred again but whatever she was doing, she was not able to sustain it. Narek, Muriel, Missy and Tim watched in horror as it looked like Enid was going to try again.

“Stop!” Missy put her arm around Enid, “Ena, this isn’t a bird with a broken wing or one of Jimmy Fishers squirrels!” 

Enid turned, her stricken face was too much for Narek to bear. He left the pew and made for the door. He didn’t want to leave but needed to put some distance between himself and the suffering girl. He ended up staring at a column, listening to Missy talk her friend down. 

“Let him go, Ena,” Missy pleaded, “You can’t maintain it.” Enid retrieved the pictures from Rones breast pocket, held them to her heart and let out a torchered scream. She rocked back and forth keening while Missy held her. Muriel brought Rone’s mother and sister into the chapel. Aya hung back, but Rone’s mother charged forward pushing Enid away from her son’s body. 

“This is your fault!” she screamed, “You! He told me about your dreams! You did this!” Enid crawled away from the altar clutching the sketches. Missy tried to intervene but the woman batted her away. Aya ran to her mother and hugged her. She looked apologetically at Missy. 

Narek turned when he heard the older woman’s accusations. He was aware that these circumstances figured well for his mission but one look at Enid’s stricken face told him the cost had been high, perhaps too high. He walked to where Missy was rocking her friend, “We should…” He stammered and Missy nodded. She wanted to get Enid out of the chapel as well, away from the older woman’s bitter words. Narek took one arm. Together they carried Enid out of the chapel and back to the rectory kitchen. They found Missy’s sister Liz who started a kettle. 

“You wouldn’t have anything stronger,” Narek commented. Tim came to his rescue. He retrieved his father’s hidden whiskey from a high cabinet near the back door. 

“I don't know how this compares to what you’re used to,” he said, “but you’re welcome to it. You’ve earned it.” Tim took two shot glasses and filled them both with the brown liquid. 

“Thanks,” Narek watched Tim tip back the tiny glass and swallow the contents in one motion. He followed suit. He had never tried human alcohol before but found that while it didn’t quite pack the same punch as Romulan spirits, it still did the trick. He and Tim shared another. 

Enid was quietly sobbing while Missy and her sister flanked her. Missy was trying to encourage the snakeleaf and her sister was offering tea. To Narek’s eye, Enid looked very small and hopelessly lost. A transport hours away from collecting the Romulan miners. There was a cloaked warbird flanking it. Enid needed to be on one of those ships. The ground rumbled again and Narek wondered if this day were ever going to end.


	18. Chapter 18

Tim needed to get back to the checkpoint and offered Narek the couch. He didn’t know exactly what the Romulan was about but he had acted with valor at the mine. He never believed that Narek had killed the Klingons or the Nausicaan and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the body of S’ril. Tim, like his father Liam, and brother Rory, had heard of the White Witch. Enid had never done anything violent but he figured that she had never been in mortal danger before. He was glad the girl had that ability. Tim had also heard about Enid’s visions through Missy. Enid always believed something dangerous existed in the mine and it seemed she was right. Tim’s goal was to hold his little settlement together until the Enterprise arrived. 

“You didn’t kill those men in the alley,” Tim told Narek as he put on his coat. Narek didn’t respond but he understood that he had earned an ally in Missy’s brother. That was progress, his numb mind reminded him. 

Narek plopped into a corner of the couch. He was glad to put some space between his ears and Enid’s sobs. He took out his tan zhekran. This was not the outcome he would have chosen. Rone, he felt, was coming around to his plan. He would have let Enid go if he was certain she would be safe. That was the kind of love Rone had for her, he decided. 

Narek barely registered her presence when Liz O’Dare walked in the room. She placed her hands on her hips and shot Narek a frustrated look. Getting no response from the man shook her head before turning and opening the front door. Narek’s childhood home, Rahmda’s home, had a fake front door. It was a silly tradition, Narek thought, If everyone knows the front door is fake, what good is it? 

“Dr. Hanson!” Liz said warmly, “Thank you for coming!” 

“I got here as soon as I could!” Heiko said, wiping his feet on the mat. He gestured out the still open door to where a large crevasse had replaced most of the street, “Getting around town is a bit more tricky today.” He glanced at Narek who was intently studying his puzzle. 

“The brooding Romulan brought Rone’s body back,” Liz answered Heiko’s unasked question, “I think he’s off in the head...” Heiko regarded the young man. It looked as if Ni’ael’s concerns were warranted. This did not bode well for the mission but he needed to assess the damage to Enid first. He walked past Narek to the kitchen. Narek followed him with his eyes without turning his head. 

Heiko wasn’t long in the kitchen. Exhaustion was already creeping in, edging out the bulk of Enid’s grief at least temporarily. The school counselor had years of experience in redirecting her volatile emotions. Soon, the girls were helping the young albino up the stairs to Missy’s bedroom. Heiko returned to the living room and took a chair opposite Narek. 

“Read me a story and stay with me until I fall asleep,” the men could hear Enid demand from upstairs. 

Narek looked to Heiko for direction but the older man lifted a finger indicating he wanted silence, “Listen to the story,” he directed. 

“Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah…” Missy’s voice began. Enid apparently knew this story by heart and recited the words at key points. The story was one from the ancient texts that formed the basis for the religion that the O’Dares followed. The plot involved a shepherd who fought off an armored giant with stones and a sling. 

“What does it mean?” Enid asked after Missy finished.

“You know what it means,” Missy teased. 

“I do but I like it when you explain it,” Enid insisted.

“The moral is that you need to play to your strengths. David won because he didn’t let Goliath define the rules of engagement.” Missy said. The volley of conversation slowed until, Narek figured, Enid fell asleep. Missy did not come down though. 

“Usually humans cite that story as a platitude,” Heiko stated, “That underdogs can win against the odds.” 

“Humans do seem to have an unwarranted optimism,” Narek observed. 

Heiko grunted in agreement, “I rather like Missy’s interpretation better,” he said.

“It’s more useful,” Narek agreed. He leveled his eyes on Heiko and asked, “Why was I chosen for this mission? Obviously you are more than able to handle Enid.” The bitterness in the younger man’s voice was alarming.

“There are many reasons,” Heiko started. Which reason would Narek find most compelling he wondered? 

“Maybe you could tell me the most important reason,” Narek’s voice was cold. Plutarch had taken the unusual step of securing Narek’s release from Federation prison. Narek wanted to know why. 

“Very well then,” Heiko said, “We didn’t choose you,” he paused to let that sink in, “Enid did.” To illustrate the point he handed the young operative a folded piece of paper. Narek took it warily. It was only folded in quarters so he thought it would be safe to look at. He didn’t want to see anymore nightmares right now. 

“It’s me,” he said as he looked at the drawing. She had drawn him in his quarters on the Artifact. He should have been surprised but he wasn’t. Nothing about Enid surprised him anymore. 

“Despite S’ril’s interventions, she remembers you,” Heiko told him, “I don’t know the exact details of your interactions with the young Enid, but she seems to have imprinted on you.” 

“She’s not a duckling,” Narek shot back but his interest had been piqued. A slow smile crossed Heiko’s face. He was sure the boy was going to be alright and that he didn’t need to elaborate any further. Heiko and Ni’ael debated this topic often. They had both studied Narek’s profile but they reached different conclusions. 

Outsiders believed that the Tal Shiar’s primary tool was terror but terror alone could not control the spirited passions of the Romulan heart. No one could surpass the Tal Shiar in psychological profiling. Every officer underwent extensive education in psychology as well. Ni’ael believed that Narek should be told. Being raised by Rahmda had given the boy a zeal for the ancient stories which Ni’ael felt would be compelling for the young man. Plutarch had seen something different in Narek’s profile. Heiko had learned to trust his old friend’s instincts over the past century. Being military, he knew that relationships are cemented in adversity. Both he and Plutarch agreed that for the bonding to work, Narek had to solve the puzzle himself. Plutarch had grown to love his dear niece's paramour but he was not blind to Ni’ael’s limitations. 

“A lot of people have pinned their hopes on you,” Heiko informed him, “We recognize today was hard but you need to get your head back in the game,” he donned his coat and gave the younger man a pat on the shoulder, “Enid is counting on you.” As he left the older man gave Narek a good natured salute. Narek wondered what it would take to shake the older man’s affable nature. 

Shortly after Heiko left, Missy and Liz came down. “Are you going to be alright with him?” Liz indicated Narek. Missy nodded and Liz returned to the makeshift refugee center in the church basement. Missy made herself some tea before joining Narek in the living room. 

“You managed to impress Tim,” she commented, confirming what Narek already knew. 

“I don’t envy his job right now,” Narek returned his puzzle to his pocket and sat up. “Tell me about the ocean,” Narek prompted, “Enid said the Romulans came out of it to fight for her…” He couldn’t remember if he’d been in the room when she said that or if he had heard it through his ear piece. 

“You’ve bugged our home!” Missy’s accusation cleared up his confusion. He did need to get his head on straight. 

“I am a spy,” he retorted, “I’ve never hid from you.” 

“No I guess not,” Missy acknowledged, “What do you care about the ocean?” 

Narek saw an opportunity to work on Missy, “It wasn’t there the first time I met Enid,” he told her. 

“You were in her mind before?” Missy sounded credulous, “What did it look like?” Missy knew what her internal landscape looked like prior to the supernova. She would know if Narek were lying. 

“Mostly meadow,” he said, “There was a stream with a rock path across it.” Narek hadn’t spent long in the albino’s mind, at the time, he thought it had been a daydream of his. 

Missy remembered the stream. Enid liked to skip across the rock bridge but Missy wasn’t sure if she should give the Tal Shair more information for his dossier. “If your best friend was being targeted by the Tal Shiar how would you react?” 

Narek gave a conciliatory nod and continued, “Let’s not forget the Vulcans,” he tapped his knees with his fingers, “I am convinced that Enid’s biological father has more than mercenary interest in her.”   
“Have you met her father?” Missy countered.

“No,” Narek admitted, “Hear me out, though. If our government wanted Enid as an operative, she would have been taken when she was younger. We would have employed the same techniques as Rynar and Enid would now be a hell of a Tal Shiar asset.” That was truthfully what he had concluded, “You have no idea the amount of effort....The resources that have been expended on recovering Enid. At a time when…” Narek stopped himself. He didn’t want to sound critical of his government. He didn’t know who else was listening. 

“At a time when Romulans don’t have a lot of resources to spare,” Missy said for him. Narek could tell his argument was working on Enid's friend. The two sat quietly for several minutes. 

“Shit,” Missy said, “Ena left her backpack in the sanctuary. I better go get it.” She excused herself and disappeared. She hadn’t explained anything about the ocean but Narek decided it wasn’t important right now. He closed his eyes, just for a minute. He knew he should stay alert but it felt so good to rest.


	19. Chapter 19

Captain Worf sat at his desk in his ready room on the Enterprise. He regarded the display in front of him and hailed his old friend on La Serina. The occupants of La Serina were assembled in Picard’s office, save Soji who took a call from Coppelius and A’den who was meditating. 

“We have received a planet wide distress call,” Worf informed them, “What is your ETA?”

“Six hours,” Rios said. The Enterprise would be there in three. 

“Any indication of what is happening?” Picard pressed. Limited communications had been restored but La Serina had not been able to raise anyone at the rectory yet. For all they knew, Enid could have been spirited off the world by a cloaked ship by now. 

“The planet’s security grid did not lose power.” Worf said. The grid was controlled by a facility on the opposite side of the planet from the mine, which was where most of the activity appeared to be. Worf did not believe anyone could have taken the girl. 

“She is likely confused,” Picard warned thinking about Enid’s imaginary friend Boo, “She may not welcome your help.”

“Does her brother have insight on how to handle the girl?” Worf asked. 

“Using her name might be a good start,” Elnor interjected. 

“Agreed!” Picard said. “Elnor’s right, Enid is a young woman who needs our help.” 

“We will secure Enid as soon as we arrive, ” Worf assured them. “We have some footage from the officers who responded to the explosions at the mine.” 

The crew of La Serina watched as a lone figure sprinted from the mine entrance. He made good time despite the wounded humanoid he was carrying over his shoulder. A trail of blood followed the pair through the snow. When the figure approached the officer they could tell it was Narek and he looked terrified. The video panned to what had been chasing the Tal Shiar officer. S’ril’s drawings had not done the creature justice. A barrage of phaser fire ended the horrifying beast. 

***

Narek woke to a dark room. Missy had not come back or if she had, she had let him sleep. He checked his handheld and cursed. Three hours had passed. He eased up the stairs to check on Enid hoping to find Missy snuggled up next to her friend. Enid lay alone. The most likely explanation was that Missy went to get the backpack and got roped into helping out with the refugees in the church basement. He sat in a chair next to the bed and watched the girl sleep. Heiko said she had chosen him. That seemed incredible and now he wished he had asked more questions. Enid stirred. How do they know she chose him? She drew hundreds of pictures of people who existed. Why focus on his picture? Because he was alive. Enid’s pictures depicted dead people. He didn’t find this distinction comforting. 

The bloodstained drawings of Enid’s fantasy children lay on the nightstand. She had inadvertently crumpled them as she retreated from Rone’s grieving mother and someone had tried to smooth them out. He shuffled through them. They were so real that Narek felt he could discern their personalities. This must have been a bitter loss for the couple. Enid had suffered so much the last few days. She was being tempered, he rationalized. So far she had risen to the occasion. He admired her tenacity. She would not be oppressed he told himself. 

She was still wearing Missy’s robe which had come loose so when Enid rolled over her breasts were exposed. Narek averted his eyes as he moved to pull the blanket up to cover her. Enid woke, seeing her condition quickly scrambled to reassemble the robe and pull the blanket up to her chin. Narek backed off and kept his eyes averted, hoping she understood his intent. He had not been leering. She regarded him for several moments without speaking. 

Narek smelled smoke. Something was burning. He spun around and recognized Enid’s internal landscape. He was not on the beach but under the tree where he and he and Enid had spoken while Boo grazed only the grass was blackened. He looked to the ocean. Grim clouds congregated offshore. The tides covered the beach and the dune had been washed out to sea. He assumed that Boo’s body had been pulled out to sea as well. Using the tree to brace himself against the wind he squinted as he looked over the ocean. There were people out there! Hundreds of thousands of people he judged. Were these Romulans lost in the supernova? 

He looked towards the mountains. A red wall separated the burnt out meadow from the mountains. From Narek’s perspective it appeared that the whole range was burning, “I suppose it's a good thing you didn’t go there,” he said aloud. He knew Enid had to be here somewhere even if she hadn’t shown herself. 

“Boo always knew the right thing to do,” he heard Enid’s voice beside him. He turned but she wasn’t there. She didn’t want to show herself, he thought. 

“Boo is a representation of your mind!” He called out to the wind. He could see a white form peek out from behind the tree in his peripheral vision but did not turn towards her. Wait for her to come to you, he told himself, You can’t rush this. She won’t accept your help if she’s terrified. Enid had no reason to trust anyone. He needed to fix that.

He was rewarded when she stepped out from behind the tree keeping hold on its trunk. She was wearing Missy’s robe and slippers. Dark circles ringed her eyes. He didn’t speak. He assumed they were not in any immediate danger so he could wait. “Rynar has Missy,” she finally said, “He’s hurting her because of me.” 

“Rynar is hurting Missy because he wants to control you,” Narek corrected, “You are not responsible for his actions.” 

“I need help,” she admitted, “Rynar is too strong.” The Tal Shiar operative understood what she was implying but felt it was important for her to say it explicitly, so he waited. It was awkward he admitted to himself, to wait for the question, but necessary. “Will you help me?” She finally asked as she touched his chest where his heart was located. 

“Always,” Narek breathed. He found himself back in the room. His response surprised him. He expected to say yes, not pledge neverending support. Still, he understood that he meant what he had said. Enid would always have his support although he didn’t understand why. 

Enid looked awkwardly at the robe. The snakeleaf had worn off, Narek thought. They were back to telepathy or sign language for communication. She wanted privacy to change so he stepped out of the room. Within minutes she emerged. Narek recognized the angry, determined expression from the triathlon pictures. She led the way through the kitchen and down the back stairs to the church basement. The displaced settlers were sleeping. She climbed the stairs that lead from the basement to the sanctuary. She found her backpack where she left it and took out the horgl. She took a hit and closed her eyes.

“Is that a good idea?” Narek asked, “Should you dull your psionic abilities?” 

“It quiets the music,” she said in his mind, “Doesn't seem to affect my telekinetics and if I concentrate I can hear people’s thoughts.” 

“Interesting,” Narek remarked. There was so much to learn about her.

“Besides, Rone thought it would help with the POP withdrawal,” Enid rubbed her arms and swatted at her legs. She went to take another hit but Narek caught her hand. 

“Snakeleaf takes a few minutes,” he advised, “Just see if you feel before…” Missy had thought the snakeleaf was responsible for her state the other day. He didn’t agree but wanted to be cautious. There were so many variables in play. Enid agreed reluctantly. Right now, she just wanted to be out of pain. It felt like a million somethings were under her skin and wanted out. She took some deep breaths and counted. The relief washed over her by her third inhale. 

“Missy didn’t make it here,” she said aloud to Narek who confirmed her hypothesis with the molecular reconstructor. 

“We should retrace our steps,” Narek kept the reconstructor on and headed back towards the basement. He caught an image of Rynar carrying Missy into the sewer access. They followed the tunnel to the junction. Enid chose her path without hesitation but Narek confirmed with his device. This slowed him down and he didn’t like Enid to get too far ahead. 

“Hey!” he jogged to catch up, “We are supposed to be a team.” 

“You don’t trust my judgement!” Enid was slightly offended but agreed to wait for Narek to confirm their direction. They continued at a healthy clip for sometime until they reached an intersection. They could not move forward, only left or right. Narek indicated right but Enid remained frozen. 

*** 

The Enterprise hailed La Serina. Upon arrival Worf had sent an away team to the rectory but Enid was missing. Her friend Missy was also missing and know one knew what had become of the Romulan operative. Otherwise everything at the colony was stable. There had been dozens of casualties including one of the colony’s medics. The Enterprise sick bay was packed although the Romulans had refused to set foot on the ship captained by the Klingon. 

“Who was the medic?” A’den asked. 

“A man named Lenus Rone,” Worf told him.

“Rone?” Picard asked, “That’s the boy that was attending to Enid.” 

“Yes,” A’den responded, “He and Enid were dating. Anything on my father, S’ril?”

“I'm sorry to inform you,” Worf said, “your father was found dead in your home. Strangled.” 

“Strangled?” A’den took a seat, “Who?” 

“We do not know,” Worf grumbled, “The officer in charge believes someone did it while they were investigating your sister’s disappearance.” He explained that the colony's security forces were stretched with the protests and the kidnaping investigation. Someone had leaked T’vel’s confession to the news media and crowd control at the residence was problematic. Worf had given Tim O’Dare his opinion of how the security operations had been run. 

“Planetary communications are on line again,” Worf informed them. 

Later, Soji and Raffe scanned the chatter coming from Kiara Colony. They could not talk to anyone but they could at least get an idea of what was happening. The cacophony of disembodied voices spoke to the chaos playing out on the planet’s surface. Soji was able to isolate what she thought was Narek’s com device. She tapped out some commands on the control panel in front of her and the operative's voice flooded the bridge.

“When was the last time you tried to leash a Ratorian sand devil?” Narek’s voice sounded irritated. 

“Point taken,” another voice intoned after a short pause, “Just remember, many people have sacrificed to retrieve your little sand devil.” The voice was Ni’ael although the crew of La Serina had no way of knowing that. 

“I like to keep my head on the right way,” Narek shot back, “She won’t leave if Missy is in danger...Stand by...” There was a silence for some time. 

“Do we have eyes on the park across from the church?” Narek asked.

“Of course, why?” 

“Enid says there are spiders in the sewers north of the park. She wants to collapse the tunnel but needs to be sure there are no people in the park.”

“No one’s having a picnic right now,” Ni’ael’s voice assured him after a brief pause. 

Rios looked at the readings in front of him. Localized low level seismic activity registered from the surface. Enid's telekinetic abilities entailed more than bending spoons. Rios looked nervously at A’den.

“We should let the Enterprise know that Enid is in the storm sewers south of the park,” A’den suggested, “She may be headed for the ruins.” Rios signaled the Enterprise. 

“We go that way then,” Narek indicated the remaining tunnel. 

“Yes,” Enid responded. A plan was forming in her mind but she was frightened. She took a few deep breaths. 

“Let Ni’ael take care of this,” Narek, seeing her indecision prompted, “No one would think less of you for not wanting to face Rynar.” 

“Ni’ael is disturbing,” Enid replied.

“You’ll get no argument from me on that,” Narek smirked, “But..”

“He has no motive to save Missy,” Enid interrupted, “No. Definitely no.” 

“You’re right,” Narek admitted, “You discerned that on your own, without Boo.”

“What have you got against Boo?” Enid sounded perturbed. 

“Nothing,” Narek’s voice softened “I’m pointing out that you don’t need Boo.” 

“Shut up!” Enid said although she appreciated his message. She had lost so much. She wasn’t going to let Rynar take Missy from her. They continued down the tunnel for a time. 

“Those spiders are too big to be in the tunnels,” Narek whispered as they walked, “At least the one I saw was,” he added. He lifted Enid over some muddy debris. She thanked him curtly. 

“What you saw was an adult,” Enid told him, “They’ve spawned.” 

“How do you know this?” Narek hated the idea that the spiders were multiplying. 

“I’ve had this nightmare for over a decade,” she snapped, “The synths should have never been allowed in the mine. The mine should have been closed.” 

“The synths caused this?” Narek wondered about Plutarch’s possible connection to the Zaht Vash. 

“No, but they triggered it,” Enid said, “Not on purpose though. The spiders have been here forever.” She stopped. The tunnel gave way to a culvert that opened up to a dry creek bed, “You going to scan?” Narek shook his head so Enid led Narek along the creek bed to a natural cave. They paused outside. “I can’t just...you know...Rynar has defenses but I have a plan,” she announced. 

“Let’s hear it,” Narek said. 

“You stay back and wait for my signal,” she said. It took Narek a minute to realize that was the entire plan. 

“No, I don’t like this plan,” Narek placed himself in front of Enid, “You said you needed my help.” 

“I do,” she said, “Stay out of site until you get my signal.” Enid knew Narek would hate the plan that had taken form in her brain. Urged on by whispers carried in the winds off her ocean, she knew what to do. Narek would argue and the element of surprise would be lost. 

“That’s not fair,” Narek geared up to argue but stopped when he saw Enid’s expression. 

“You’re going to lecture me on fair!” The bitterness in her voice was evident even on the bridge of La Serina. Raffe inhaled sharply and looked towards Rios who rubbed his beard and raised his eyebrow. They were still an hour away. Hopefully the albino composer would be alive when they arrived. 

“No.” Narek changed course. He realized he was in a corner. On one hand, he wanted her to trust herself without Boo but then he balked at her plan. What plan? he asked himself, She didn’t tell him anything. Once again, he decided to gamble. Last time it hadn’t worked out like he wanted. He intended to be the hero in the alley the other night but Enid had saved herself. Perhaps it would be best to let her do so now? He would monitor and intervene when needed. “I await your orders, oh, queen of the sand devils,” he said with a flourish and took up a position just outside the cave.

Enid briefly thought about calling him out on teasing her but decided against it. She wanted to keep her focus. As she entered the cave, Narek recognized her stride. It was the same confident swagger that he’d witnessed from the four year old girl who walked though Kiara Station to bring her message to the captain of his transport. She was finding herself again, he thought. 

On board the Enterprise Picard thought that Enid and Narek seemed to have a congenial relationship. The spy had already gained her trust. He also wondered about her contention that the synths had triggered the release of the spiders. The large gruesome synthetic spiders. It must have been frustrating for the young telekinetic telepath to dream of these things for a decade and have no one act on it. He had researched the mine. Not all the accidents at the mine could be attributed to lack of maintenance like A’den contended. A good many were freakish in nature. Then there was Enid’s best friend who led a crusade against synthetic life. Had Enid influenced these events? If she had, was it purposeful or unconscious? He concluded that Enid had not acted consciously; she had been too young when the freak accidents in the mine started to have acted consciously. She had acted unconsciously or somehow S’ril had used mind melds to somehow control these events. Either option was troubling in its implication. 

Soji relayed Enid’s hypothesis to Arcana on Copellius. Altan and her siblings would want to be aware of the events on Kiara if synthetics were going to be blamed.

***  
Rynar had Missy at the far end of the cave. She had been mistreated but unseen shadows closed in around Enid shielding her from her friend's pain. These were the same shadows that whispered her plan. They had learned much about Rynar when they expelled him from her mind. Rynar could be manipulated. His descent into barbary had left him vulnerable. 

“No!” Missy screamed when she saw Enid, “No, Ena, go back! Get help!” When Enid continued her approach Missy became frantic, “Please, Ena, run away!” 

“Rynar!” Enid called, “Forgive me! I didn’t understand.” Flatter him, a voice inside her entreated. “You are so much wiser than I,” she said with her eyes downcast. 

Rynar regarded the hybrid girl. She was a Romulan hybrid he told himself, she was trying to trick him. He tightened his hold on Missy, “I highly doubt you are being honest. It is more likely that you are trying to distract me so that the Tal Shiar officer outside will have the element of surprise.” 

“He would have no chance against you,” Enid said sweetly. Faced with Rynar’s stoicism she added, “I need you, really need you.” She scratched at her forearm.

“More likely you need more POP.” Rynar deduced. He loosened his grip on Missy slightly. S’lar had originally chosen POP because the hybrid was difficult to sedate. Now Rynar believed that the choice had an added benefit. She was addicted although they had only given her a few doses. 

“I’ll come to you,” Enid whispered, “Let Missy go.” She continued to rub her arms and bat at her legs. It was not entirely an act. The snakeleaf was starting to wear off. Timing was everything, she needed Rynar to believe her condition. He’s taken a drink of the sweet wine of violence. Remind him how it tastes, the shadows whispered. Enid caressed her face. As she did the first cut that Rynar had made on her face reappeared. She inhaled deeply. On the exhale, she moaned and redrew the line from her ear to between her breasts. 

“And the Romulan?” Rynar asked. 

“We will kill him together,” Enid rested her hand on her upper thigh, “You want to be together,” she widened her stance, “I like it when you take control. I’m sorry I…” She faltered. The shadows told her to choose her words carefully, “I behaved badly. I was frightened by how I felt.” 

“So you have come to your senses?” Rynar released Missy but the young woman wouldn’t leave.

“Ena! No!” Missy sobbed. She misconstrued Enid’s glazed expression to mean that Rynar had won control of her friend's mind. The shadows had her now and they hated Rynar. Centuries of hostility towards their Vulcan cousins took over. Missy pulled at Enid’s arm but got no response. She ran to the exit. 

Outside the cave Narek was repulsed but impressed. Under normal circumstances seducing a Vulcan was a ridiculous plan, but Rynar was no ordinary Vulcan. When Missy emerged she begged Narek to intervene. Narek grabbed her by the arm, “Go,” he hissed in her ear, “Go before I kill you myself you stupid girl.” Missy ran off.

The crew of La Serina had heard the exchange between Narek and Missy but could not hear what was happening in the cave. 

“Can you increase the range?” A’den asked Soji. 

Soji poked at the panel a few times then shook her head, “That’s the best I can do.” 

“What is our ETA?” Picard demanded.

“Still forty minutes out,” Rios answered.

“Damn!” Picard turned to A’den, “Do you know where they are? Specifically?” 

A’den searched his memory, “There is a cave, about three kilometers south of the park. If they were in the storm sewers, they could have gotten there quickly. Above ground it’s a difficult hike.” Rios transmitted the information to the Enterprise. They were rewarded when the Enterprise hailed them.

“We can not transport to the location you gave us,” Captain Worf informed them about the mineral deposits in the area, “But we will get there.” 

***  
Narissa expanded her mission to include monitoring communications from La Serina. She found one communication particularly useful. It was between Altan Soong and Soji.

“Arcana told me about the Romulan composer,” Altan Soong said, “It’s admirable that you want to save her from that horrible Romulan.” 

“It’s not just him, she’s in so much danger,” Soji said, “It’s hard wanting to do something but being so far away.” 

“That’s admirable,” Soong said again. Soji tilted her head at his repetition. “We did some research on the prophecy mentioned in T’vel’s confession.”

“It’s just a story,” Soji wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

“As soon as you get a chance,” Soong said, “I want you to kill the girl.” He smiled and nodded like he was asking her to turn out the light. 

“No!” her eyes widened and she repeated her rejection, “No!”

“If she fulfills her role in the prophecy, the Romulans will become too powerful.” He kept his voice low, “Think of your brothers and sisters, the Federation will not be able to protect us anymore.” 

“She hasn’t done anything!” Soji cut the communication. 

Narissa smiled as she contemplated what to do with this information. 

***  
At the entrance of the cave, Narek prepared to intervene. Enid had secured the release of Missy. It was just she and Rynar. He drew his disrupter and leveled it at the Vulcan. He looked for a clean shot but was too far away. He slipped inside the cave and hugged the shadows as he positioned himself. All he needed was for Enid to be far enough away that the Vulcan could not pull her in the line of fire. 

After releasing Missy, Rynar pulled Enid towards him. He held the hypospray in front of her hungry face, teasing her. Touch him, the shadows instructed. Enid thought she should maybe try and kiss the Vulcan but found herself at a disadvantage. She couldn’t accomplish this without standing on tip toes and even then it was a stretch. A lower target was required. She reached into the front of his robe. Rynar responds by grabbing her by the neck with his free hand lowering his mouth onto hers. He released his grip on her neck to cover her face, the other hand brought the hypospray upto her neck; he intended to drug her then enter her. Enid moaned and stretched her arms up over Rynar’s head. Then with all her strength she pulled his head down while bringing her knee up. It worked exactly like she had been shown in her mind and she felt the man’s nose break before she leaped away. Narek took that as his signal and took his shot. He held the disruptor on the Vulcan until he blackened and fell. Enid scrambled away from Rynar’s burnt out body. She took off her backpack and retrieved the snakeleaf. 

She had needed for Rynar to feel the distress of her withdrawal symptoms to believe her ploy but now she was hurting. Rynar had dropped the hypospray when his face hit her knee and the instrument lay about two meters from her now. She reached out. 

“No!” Narek grabbed her hand before she could retrieve the device. She was shaking badly. “Take the snakeleaf,” he coached holding the horgl to her lips. After she took a few hits, Narek pulled her into his chest and held her. Narek rocked her gently repeating, “You’re safe now.” It was over, he thought. He would bring her home. 

“No,” she said wearily, “Not yet.” Narek released her to ask for clarification then ground shook.


	20. Chapter 20

The Enterprise away team transported to the dry creek bed in time just as Missy barreled towards the culvert. Missy threw herself into the arms of the familiar uniforms. An ensine steadied her while a medical officer did a quick triage. 

“Are you Enid?” the red clad commander asked. 

“No, there’s a cave,” Missy struggled to catch her breath, “About half a kilometer up the creek bed.” Missy explained that her Rynar had given Enid POP on Enid and she was not aching herself. 

The medical officer had heard of POP but never encountered the drug in a clinical setting. Substance abuse was extremely low among Starfleet officers. Before they left Captain Worf briefed the team on the albino girl. Being Betazoid, he understood a little about born telepaths. He had a second cousin on his mother’s side who was likewise afflicted. Enid had suffered multiple traumas the past few days, each one on it’s own would be enough to destabilize a typical adult but the combined weight of those events on top of POP addiction? He looked at the Trill counselor, “You have your work cut out for you.” 

“You have the antagonist drug?” The counselor had also heard horror stories about POP addicts. The medical medical officer confirmed he did. The problem had become so prevalent in the outer regions that Starfleet medical required it for any way mission where they might encounter civilians. 

“Miss O’Dare needs to go to sickbay,” the medical officer indicated that the ensine should accompany the young woman and the two transported. 

“Stay alert,” the commander ordered, “We know of at least one Tal Shiar operative in the area. There are bound to be more if what we’ve been told is true.” The creek bed was surrounded by dense forest making it the only viable path. The commander was uncomfortable with how exposed his team was. There was movement in the brush around them but according to their tricorders, there was nothing out there. He kept them moving. With the cave in view, he signaled for his team to stop and ordered them to flank the entrance. The ground rumbled. Stones fell from the cliff above the cave forcing the away team to fall back. From behind, the red shirt heard a series of clicks. More clicks responded from the brush around them. A figure unfolded from the treeline, then another, and then a third. 

“Enterprise!” he hit his communicator, “Enterprise! Get us out of here!” 

Captain Worf listened as his bridge crew responded to the events on the surface. They needed the away team to return to the transport point by the culvert. 

“Sir!” called his operations officer, “These creatures are emerging all over the planet!”

“Can you establish communication with them?” Worf asked.

“All languages, all frequencies. Nothing,” was the reply

“Can you target the creatures?” Worf turned to his tactical officer.

“It will be like buttering bread with a machete,” the tactical officer replied, “I think I can recalibrate the focus point...stand by.” The tactical officer tapped out a few commands, “Got it!” 

“Good,” Worf said, “Fire at will.” Worf studied the tactical readout. A bombardment from space was impractical. What he needed was smaller ships that could engage the enemy on the planet. Such ships were tools of conquest not exploration. The enterprise had three shuttles and they had limited offensive capabilities. La Serina would be helpful, he decided. The Kaplan F17 Speed Freighter was a maneuverable ship and Rios had a reputation as a more than competent captain. Worf commandeered a dozen other civilian ships docked on Kiara Station. He ordered several officers to serve as crew. The owners of the ships were lodging formal complaints but Worf didn’t care. The only other option was to send in ground troops. His first officer was working up an attack plan at the moment. 

“Sir, we are being hailed,” the communications officer called out, “by a Romulan Warbird.” 

“On screen,” Work barked, “Why have you crossed into Federation Space?”

“We intercepted a distress call,” the Romulan stated, “We have citizens on the planet and according to our sensors, the colony is under attack. We would like to offer our assistance.” Worf considered the options before him. The idea of accepting help from Romulans was distasteful but he was looking at mounting civilian casualties. Romulan warbirds had compliments of Snakeheads. Snakeheads would be useful but he didn’t trust the Romulans. 

***   
Narek and Enid had no idea the drama unfolding around them. The tremors had destabilized the cave. They were cut off from the entrance so Enid led Narek deeper into the cave system. She knew that she could access the ruins from the tunnel they were in. The pair dodged falling rocks and jumped over opening chasims. Enid thought that there was a way to deactivate the spiders if she accessed the inner chamber. 

“What makes you think that?” Narek asked when they stopped to rest. He was impressed at her ability to keep up despite her size. While she didn’t have Romulan strength he hypothesized that she made up for it using telekinetics. She could leap father and climb faster than she should have been able to given her physiology. 

“These ruins,” she puffed, “The people who built them...they knew about the spiders.” Enid was taken by a fit of coughing. 

“S’ril didn’t mention anything like that in his notes,” Narek looked around. If he was thirsty, she was probably as well. Water leaked from a nearby wall. It checked out when he scanned it so he encouraged her to drink. She cupped her hands and sipped. He did the same after she finished. 

“He didn’t record it in his notes,” Enid’s eyes widened and her brow knit together as she recalled, “He…” she pressed her lips together and raised her fists over her face. Narek watched her intently, concerned she would strike herself again. He caught her hands and guided them down as he had seen Rone do in the kitchen. Another tremor shook the cave, “We have to go,” she said. 

When they reached a set of deliberately carved steps Narek figured they had entered the ruins. He got his bearings, she was leading him to the chamber captured in the molecular reconstruction. She stopped precisely where the door had been. 

“Do you have a knife?” She asked. He did and offered it to her. She took it and as looked at her left palm she was struck by dejavu. How many times had her hand been cut? There were no scars but she felt it had been dozens of times. Her hand started shaking, what if she cut too deeply? 

“Maybe I should?” Narek placed his hand over hers. She gave him the knife. He took her left hand and held it palm up.

“My blood…” She stammered. Narek nodded. Gently he took her left hand and studied the palm. Enid nervously bounced on her toes. 

“Close your eyes,” Narek suggested softly. The Tal Shiar trained to wound and hurt, he contemplated, but he also knew how to minimize pain. Enid not only closed her eyes but turned her head, “There. All done.” She turned to find Narek smiling tenderly. After examining the wound, she walked to a glif on the busy wall and placed her palm on it. The wall gave way to the entrance. 

Enid stood in the doorway. How many times had she been brought here? S’ril had tried to make it a game for her when she was younger. As she became more assertive, S’ril employed mind melds and memory blocks to secure her cooperation. Narek placed his hand on her shoulder and made eye contact. His expression conveyed concern. How long had she been standing there? 

The excitement of the secret chamber propelled Narek into the room. The technology was both ancient and beyond anything he’d seen. No wonder S’ril didn’t write about this in his notes or journals. He must have told Enid about it. Narek spun around to ask Enid and found her frozen in the doorway. Her expression was a mixture of loathing and dread. 

“You said there was a way to stop this?” Narek pressed, “Enid...Enid…” Once he caught her attention, he held her face. “Enid, Missy is out there...Raelyn...Dr. Hansen...All the O’Dares…” He studied her expression for signs of progress, “Enid...They’re counting on you..” That was the spark. Her eyes blinked.

“Sorry, yes,” She walked over to a panel and tilted her head, “I don’t know exactly what will happen but I think this is it. Narek nodded. Enid keyed a sequence into the panel. A moment passed and nothing. 

“Are you sure?” Narek asked. She must be confused. 

“I thought,” she looked sick, “If I could...Oh God.” The chamber lurched. The ceiling opened. A leggy mass lowered itself into the chamber then reared to its full size. Narek pushed Enid behind him protectively. 

“You’re going to stop that?” Enid’s eyes widened. She had not yet realized that she was only limited by her imagination. 

Narek glanced at her over his shoulder. This was an impossible situation. The chamber continued back out of sight. Was there another way out? “What’s down there?” he asked, edging them both backwards. 

A low hum emanated from the panel. Narek and Enid watched as the hum stopped and the panel glowed pulsating blue. From somewhere deep below them came a long tortured groan. The creature let out a squeal and scrambled out of the chamber pulling down more of the ceiling as it fled. The downed ceiling in turn collapsed the floor. Narek tried to shield Enid as they tumbled through and slammed against falling debris until they hit a solid surface. He shielded her with his body until the ground stopped moving. 

***  
La Serina leapt out of warp three hundred fifty kilometers from Kiara Colony. Planetary defenses were active. The Enterprise hung nose to nose with a Romulan Warbird. The Enterprise hailed them, “Stand by, La Serina.” 

“That’s it?” Elnor asked. La Serina’s sensors picked up what was happening on the planet's surface. The colony was under attack and the Enterprise was apparently doing nothing, “We came to defend the colony!” 

There were a few dozen small ships with offensive capabilities zipping around under the planet’s defensive shield including the shuttles from the Enterprise. They were protecting the planet's population centers but the magnitude of the crisis was multiplying exponentially. More spiders were erupting from the mountain range along the southern continent and were making their way north. The settlements would be overrun. Emmet said something in Spanish and Rios nodded. The situation looked dire. He wasn’t sure La Serina would make a difference but standing by without trying was excruciating. 

“There’s widespread seismic activity,” Soji studied the readings in front of her. She was trying to reestablish her lock on Narek’s earpiece having lost it after he had entered the cave. At least that is what they assumed. There were mineral deposits along that ridge that interfered with the signal. Given a few more minutes, she thought she could overcome that obstacle. The instruments measured a massive and growing concentration of energy from the area near the cave. The whole ridge seemed to be configured to collect energy from the planet’s core, but for what purpose? Suddenly the atmosphere flashed blue. The ships within the planet's defenses lost power. 

“Dios mio,” Rios watched as the ships defending the colony fell from the sky, one by one. A few managed to soften their landing through dexterous maneuvers but many exploded on the planet surface.

“That would have been us,” Agnes said. 

“Look!” Soji pointed to the readings, “The spiders!” The signals from the mountain ranges had ceased, in fact, the activity from the aggressors had stopped. 

“What happened?” Rios was suspicious. The Enterprise opened a channel. Whatever had emanated from the ridge had destroyed the spiders and any ship utilizing biomechanical circuitry. 

“That would have been the end of both of us,” Picard looked at Soji. 

“My sister?” A’den inquired of Captain Worf, “Has she been found?”

“No,” Worf responded. He was coordinating the relief and rescue missions but the Romulans were complicating matters. His orders were to recover Enid and the Romulans evidently had the same order. “We are organizing a search of the ruins however sensors are of little use.” 

***

Narek tried to move but found something obstructing his ability to do so. It wasn’t just a matter of physical restriction. Any attempt to move was met with searing pain. He took a few minutes to determine the interference and the pain had the same source. A rod or shaft had pierced him through his left flank and protruded from his abdomen. He closed his eyes against the realization. Enid was unconscious. From his limited perspective he couldn’t tell how bad she’d been hurt but her arm did appear to be in an unnatural position. If he could rouse her, she might be able to find her way out. If he could signal Ni’ael. Bracing himself for the pain activated his ear piece. 

“Ni’ael,” he choked, “Ni’ael,” no response. The minerals in the cave he thought. He had no way of knowing that Ni’ael already had Cailem working on the communications issue. Narek tried unsuccessfully to rouse Enid. Surely with the spider menace under control, a search party was looking for them. Ni’ael knew their last location. 

“Over here!” he called, mustering his strength, “Help! Over here!” Between calls he would pause and take several measured breaths. 

“What are you doing?” Enid mumbled. Narek’s body still covered hers, in these close quarters his shouts were hurting her head. 

“Trying to help someone find us,” he replied, allowing himself to feel some hope now that she was awake. 

“Someone’s looking for us?” Hope was contagious although Enid didn’t feel anyone nearby. 

“I assume so,” Narek whispered, “Seems someone’s always looking for you.” 

“Probably a Nausicaan,” she said, eliciting a rueful laughter from Narek. 

“Once we’re free from this,” Narek tried to sound confident, “We’ll take on the Nausicaan.” His laughter gave way to a fit of pain. 

Enid wanted to echo Narek’s apparent confidence, “There’s a human expression, laughter is the best medicine.” she told him. 

“The person who came up with that didn’t have a rod through his torso, I’m sure,” Narek breathed. He was glad she was conscious. How could he keep her awake? “S’ril didn’t mention...whatever that was in his notes. How did you know?” 

It was hard for Enid to think. How long had it been since her last hit of snakeleaf? She could feel something sticky on her back. If Narek had been impaled it was probably his blood she thought. I need to keep him awake, she thought. “Papa...” What did he call it? “Print...imprinted…” She didn’t actually want to talk about this. 

“Telepathically,” Narek interpreted her reticence, “It hurt, didn’t it? Papa hurt you.”

“Yes,” she tried to gather her strength. Narek needed to stay awake but she didn’t want to talk about this, “Tell me about my father,” she gasped, “Have you met him?”


	21. Chapter 21

It was decided that La Serina should land on the planet’s surface since the ship had a sickbay equipped with an EMH program. Many of the colony's first responders had been killed in the attack and the colony's medical personnel, even when supplemented by the Enterprise, were still spread painfully thin. La Serina was turned into a mobile field hospital. The Romulans offered the services of their medical officers. Worf didn’t trust the Romulans but given the situation, with reinforcements still hours away, he didn’t see any other choice. 

Soji thought she could narrow down Enid’s location if she could reestablish contact with Narek’s communication earpiece and she could do this best from the bridge of the Enterprise. With the help of the Enterprise sensors she quickly narrowed in on the signal and notified the teams at the ruins. She routed the signal through the bridge audio system. Faint laughter was heard through the static.

“...through his torso, I’m sure,” the voice was Narek’s

“Can you clear up?” Picard asked. Regardless of the circumstances, it was fun to be on the bridge of his old command, even if it wasn’t his old ship and he wasn’t captain. Soji tapped out a few commands on the panel. An ensine offered some help which Soji welcomed. The communication cleared. 

“Telepathically...It hurt, didn’t it? Papa hurt you.”

“Yes,” there was a long pause. “Tell me about my father...Have you met him?”

“No...But I can tell you what I know...He’s a great man...powerful...influential.” There was a pause, “Hey...stay awake!” 

“I’m listening…” Enid’s voice sounded faint, “More…” 

“No...You need to talk to me...The spiders...what are they?”

“They...have been…” there was a long pause.

“Hey!...Wake up! You said the synths triggered it.” 

Enid mumbled something inaudible, “...laid a trap...for…”

“Stay with me!...You said there were sites...All over…” Narek persisted. 

“The order…(something inaudible)...seek out.” Enid coughed. 

“Open your eyes, Enid!...Don’t you do this…Enid! Enid!” 

“I’m here…” 

“Good..” Neither of them said anything for sometime.

“Mister Narek!...Mister Narek!...Mister Narek!...” Enid squeaked. 

“Can they hear us?” Picard asked, “Can we communicate with them? Let them know help is on the way”

“No,” Soji shook her head, “I’m working on it.” Soji scanned the panel in front of her. Ingoing signals were being refracted. If she could find a pattern and program the array to compensate for this phenomenon...

“Just...Narek...no...mister…” Narek sounds weak, Picard thought. “...through his torso,” Narek must be injured badly himself. Picard turned to Worf, “There should be a Romulan medic at the ruins.”

“I am not letting Romulans near the girl,” Worf stated just as his first officer hailed him from the surface. Ni’ael has brought a team to the ruins. Worf groaned. He had been under assault from both Ni’ael and Sub-Commander Tezel for the past six hours. 

“Admiral,” Worf turned to his former captain, “I would not be a good captain if I did not know how best to utilize the assets at my disposal?”

“I suppose,” Picard said puzzled.

“Sir,” Worf smiled at Picard, “you could write the book on managing agitated Romulans. I would be unwise to not ask you to accompany me to the surface to talk with Ni’ael.” Worf was gratified when Picard agreed to accompany him, as an advisor. 

In the turbo lift Picard reviewed the evolution of Enid in his mind. She had endured so much it seemed she was not the fragile child that A’den presented to them. How much was A’den aware of? As a rule, Vulcans did not overtly lie. His experience with Sarek taught him that Vulcans were expert dissemblers. He also remembered that even if they did not show emotion, Vulcans felt emotions deeply. 

Worf and Picard transported to the dry creek bed and walked the distance to the ruins. By the time they arrived at the rescue site the crews had uncovered the pair. The Romulan medic tagged both Enid and Narek with a micro pattern enhancer and Narek had been transported to the Romulan vessel for treatment. Worf’s chief of security had plucked the enhancer off Enid before transport. Unfortunately that placed the officer on the Romulan vessel as well. Now the two sides stood, weapons drawn. Elnor had joined the rescue attempt and also stood with his sword drawn although the young man looked a bit out of place. 

“Report!” Worf snapped to his first officer, a man named Sedrick Clemmings. He was a highly competent officer but this mission was straining everyone’s patience. Mars was still on fire and the Romulans were to blame. While many of the settlers had reconciled their relationship to the Romulans that lived among them in the remote colony on the edge of Federation territory, most Starfleet officers had not had the opportunity. 

“The Romulans have our security officer,” he replied.

“You have kidnaped a Romulan citizen!” Ni’ael spat, his disrupter still pointed at the officer. 

“Enid is a federation citizen…” Sedrick started.

“Enid is my wife’s cousin!” Ni’ael looked murderous. Cailem had been successful in isolating the signal from Narek’s earpiece. Ni’ael had listened in horror to the conversation between Narek and Enid. Cailem had also programmed the micro pattern enhancers in advance so while the Federation ryakna set up their clumsy devices they could transport their people to safety. 

“Return our officer!” Sedrick ordered. 

For a moment it looked as if Ni’ael would indeed start a war when something buzzed above them. It was a Federation News Drone. Evidently the news corps had figured out how to circumvent the mineral deposits as well. Everything happening on the ridge was now being broadcast live to half the Federation. Ni’ael holstered his weapon and his men followed suit. The Starfleet officers did likewise after looking to Worf who gave a curt nod. Picard raised his eyebrow at Elnor who reluctantly sheathed his weapon. 

“Return our cousin.” Ni’ael demanded firmly, “She has been treated with cruelty and needs her family.” 

“I’m sure your interest in Enid is purely familial,” Worf didn’t like the drone’s presence but was thankful the situation had deescalated. 

“Maybe if your world had been destroyed,” Ni’ael commented loud enough for the drones to pick up, “You would understand how important family is. We will not leave Enid in danger.” 

“The girl is safe on the Enterprise,” Worf asserted. 

“So then you will return her to us unharmed,” Ni’ael insisted. 

“Let’s discuss this privately,” Picard suggested keeping his voice low, “Regardless of where Enid goes, this is not good for her,” he gestured at the drones, “She would forever be painted as a pawn, a victim, someone to pity. She should be afforded privacy.” Picard wagered that Ni’ael would respond better if Enid’s well being was the central issue of the negotiations. That is, if he were genuinely interested in her well being. Casting the girl as pitiful would be distasteful to the Romulan as well. Furthermore he knew privacy was a compelling concern for Romulans. It was a speculation and Picard was pleasantly surprised that Ni’ael agreed. Picard, Worf, Ni’ael and Fank walked over to a small outcrop. The fallen boulders could serve as seating. Elnor moved to come but Picard waved him off. The boy watched the group at a distance, pacing and brooding.

Ni’ael knew that Cailem was working on circumventing the Enterprise shields. Even the best shields had weakness and Cailem was an exceptional technician. Ni’ael needed to keep these veruuls occupied. 

***

The Enterprise sick bay was a hive of activity however A’den was allowed to stand watch over his sister. The rod that impaled Narek had cut a gouge into Enid’s side. Unlike Narek, who’s bleeding was slowed by the presence of the rod, Enid had lost a good deal of blood from the gaping wound. The chief medical officer had died on the surface, killed by one of the spiders along with the original away team. Dr. Mwagni closed the wound easily enough and started the blood regenerator. Then he treated her concussion before handing her off to the EMH which would address the girl's broken arm while he moved to the next grievously injured patient. “She should take it easy for several days,” the EMH informed A’den as he worked on Enid’s arm. 

“Mister Narek,” Enid mumbled.

“Little Bee,” A’den whispered to her, “You’re safe now. This Narek fellow...he’s dangerous.” Enid regarded her brother and smiled. She stretched out telepathically. It took considerable effort since she had been heavily dosed with snakeleaf extract but she couldn’t find Narek. 

“Where is he?” she asked. A’den had always been her champion but he was mistaken or lying. Narek was not a threat to her. 

“You don’t need to worry about that now,” A’den soothed. 

Narek hadn’t hurt her. Rynar had hurt her. Papa had hurt her too. In a fit of fear she wondered if A’den would? “Missy?” Enid could barely feel her. 

“She wasn’t hurt badly,” A’den told her, “She’s helping out on the surface.” 

“I need you to hold still,” the doctor working on her arm told her. She regarded the man realising that she could feel nothing from him. He was a hologram. 

“Deactivate EMH!” The program terminated and the dermal regenerator he held fell to the floor. Enid sat up and rubbed her arm. 

“Enid!” A’den called out. 

Dr. Mwagni, seeing the disturbance tried to activate a restraining field but Enid rolled off the medical bed before the field activated. She scrambled until her back was against a wall. Security was already in the sick bay. A precaution given the girl had been given POP. A precaution Dr. Mwagni was glad they had taken now. 

“It’s the EMH,” A’den tried to smooth things over, “She’s afraid of the EMH.” The door to the sick bay opened. It was Soji. Enid stared at the synth wide eyed before a phaser flew from the hip of one the security guards landing in Enid’s right hand. She searched for and found her backpack discarded in the corner and grabbed that as well. Swinging her bag over shoulder she fired a few shots with the phaser over the heads of the security guards then a few shots towards Soji. While everyone dove for cover she ran for the door. 

In the hallway she realized she had no idea where to go, only the instinctive feeling she was in grave danger. She ran around a few turns before she met a force field. Security measures on the Enterprise were more sophisticated than those on the station. Her shadows told her to concentrate on the field emitter. With a flash she was through the force field. 

“Where’s the transporter room?” She asked herself. The Enterprise computer accommodated her with directions and she took off blowing through force fields until she entered the transporter room. “Now what?” she wondered as she regarded the transporter operator. He locked the transporter and backed away with his hands up. The transporter room door opened and Enid fired a few shots. 

“Computer, lock door!” she called.

“Unable to comply,” the computer responded, “Command authorization needed.” 

“Transport me to the surface!” she barked at the operator. When he refused she leaned in telepathically. “He has to,” she thought, “Or I’ll die.” Robotically the man reactivated the transporter and she found herself on the surface just outside the culvert. She took off running barefoot towards the ruins. Her feet stung as she ran over rocks and twigs so she imagined herself running on her beach. The soft sand cushioned her poor feet. As she neared the ruins she saw the Federation and Romulan officers blocking her path. Blindly she let off a few more rounds from the phaser and they dove for cover returning fire. 

Elnor had seen the white figure streak across the rocky shelf that led to the ruins. He took off along an intersecting course only to have Enid spring and flip over him. Elnor had longer legs and the benefit of shoes but Enid was spurred on by the will to live. She knew where she was going, even if the landscape had changed a bit since her last visit. Enid skipped over obstacles with Elnor close behind until they reached the secret chamber. A crater separated her from her goal but she saw that scaffolding from the dig above had fallen across the chasm. Without hesitation she leapt forward vaulting over debris before grabbing the scaffolding to swing across dropping to a roll as she dismounted. She sprinted down the passage to the wall at the end. 

The scaffolding had barely supported Enid so Elnor took a moment to find an alternate route. He caught up with Enid at the end of the hall. He slowed to a walk as he approached. She cowered in the corner, still in her gown from the Enterprise sick bay.   
“Easy,” he said as if he were coaxing one of the stray dogs on Vashti to accept a treat from him. 

“Stay away!” she brandished the phaser. Her eyes were wild and feverish. Enid forgot a knife. She was at the door and she did not have a way to open it. Her pursuer had a sword over his shoulder. He also had a knife wedged in his boot. She needed the knife so she tucked the phaser into her backpack. 

Elnor thought he was making progress when she tucked away the phaser. He was surprised when his knife flew into her hand and even more surprised when she sliced her own hand and slapped the wall. The wall disappeared to reveal a dark shaft into which she appeared to be getting ready to leap. 

“Stop!” Elnor wanted to get closer but was afraid she’d jump. 

“I need someplace safe,” she said, eyeing the darkness, “I don’t know of anywhere safe.” She let out a sob, “I have no place safe to go.” Tears streamed down her face. Darkness, she thought, that’s where she belonged. Narek was right, someone was always looking for her. Someone would alway be looking for her. At least she could die on her terms. Would it hurt? 

“Ena!” Missy called from across the crater, “Ena! Come back!” 

“Little Bee!” A’den shouted. Officers from the Enterprise were assembling a scaffolding across the crater. 

“No, no, no, no…” Enid whimpered, sinking to the floor. She kept her eye on the darkness. Elnor knelt beside her and took hold of her arm. 

“Let me help,” he entreated. She shifted so that she could look at his face. 

“What’s the safest place you know?” Instinctively, his mind conjured an image of Vashti and the Qowat Milat. Enid threw her arms around him and pulled him backwards into the abyss. With a flash, they were gone leaving Missy, A’den and the Starfleet officers staring at the empty shaft.


	22. Chapter 22

Ni’ael walked from the Warbird’s transporter room directly to the sick bay. He regarded the sleeping Narek. The doctor informed him that Narek should be out for two days. In the aftermath of Enid’s disappearance, Ni’ael had negotiated a deal but he needed Narek to make it happen. The boy Elnor contacted La Serina to let them know that Enid was at Vashti with, of all people. the Qowat Milat. Plutarch officially filed a complaint through diplomatic channels on behalf of his daughter alleging physical and psychological abuse and naming Ni’ael and Narek his official designees. The Federation agreed to allow Plutarch’s designees to speak with the girl on Vashti and if she decided to go with them, they would not interfere. It helped that Plutarch had amassed a fleet of ships that were ‘performing maneuvers’ in Romulan space relative to Vashti. The Enterprise was to convey the parties to their destination. 

“Wake him,” Ni’ael commanded. Without argument the doctor administered a hypo to Narek’s neck. The young man opened his eyes and groaned, every fiber of his body hurt. 

“Enid?” he breathed. 

“Alive,” Ni’ael told Narek of the developments.

“When do we go?” Narek sat up and steadied himself. The doctor ventured to say that Narek would need a day or two of rest before he was ready for full duty. 

“I don’t need him to fight the Qowat Milat.” Ni’ael was dismissive. What he needed was for Narek to reason with, manipulate, coax, or cajole Enid into returning with them. He looked at Narek, “At one time you wanted to be in the Zaht Vash, correct?” 

“Yes,” Narek didn’t want to rehash how he’d been ejected from the cabal his parents had served. 

“The synths, Picard and Soji will be on the Enterprise,” Ni’ael said, “I want to make sure that you stay true to your current mission.” 

“You mean you don’t want me to kill them,” Narek paraphrased, “Gamadon will not be averted with the death of two synthetics.” No, killing Soji at this point was useless although he didn’t want to be in close quarters with the synth, particularly with how he felt right now. 

“I’m going to need a formal commitment here,” Ni’ael said, “Do you pledge yourself to the service of Plutarch for the purpose of retrieving his daughter from the Federation?” 

“Yes,” Narek had already vowed to Enid that he would always help her. 

“And you will pursue nothing else but the accomplishment of this mission?” Ni’ael would normally apply some physical pressure here but Narek already looked like hell. It was a formality really, “Swear it!” 

“I do pledge and swear,” Narek bowed his head and placed his right fist on his left shoulder. It was official, Narek was a vassal of Plutarch. It was an ancient custom that had been resurrected since the supernova. Now that it was finished Narek asked, “Why are the synths coming?” 

“In a moment,” Ni’ael had to settle other matters first. “We need to talk about your sister again,” Ni’ael told him. Narek blanched. He didn’t feel up for another conversation about Narissa. Ni’ael seeing the younger man’s expression continued, “She’s been intercepting and withholding information from us.” He handed him a tablet and watched the young man’s face harden while Altan Soong told Soji to kill Enid. 

“What is our response to this?” Narek asked coldly. Ni’ael knew Narek was not going to like his answer. He didn’t like his answer.

“Nothing,” Ni’ael said. Seeing the objection take form on the younger man's face he continued, “for now. Picard and Soji are going to try and dissuade the synths. We need to let that play out.” 

“Soji tried to kill Enid?” Narek asked. He didn’t think that Soji would do such a thing on her own. Missy might have a point. Soong was living like a king on Copellius and he had a rather dangerous army at his disposal. Narek was familiar with the prophecies mentioned in T’vel’s confession. He didn’t believe in prophecies but the synths might see Enid as a threat. 

“Unclear,” Ni’ael started, “She was aboard the Enterprise and went to their sick bay while Enid was being treated. She can’t explain why but that was when our little sand devil took flight.” 

“She can hear synths,” Narek said, “She would have known she was in danger.” 

“The point I want to stress is this,” Ni’ael started. This was hard for him and he was sure it would be hard for Narek, “Our mission is to bring Enid to her father. That is it. No ulterior motives. No revenge. We need to keep this mission simple.” Plutarch had taught Ni’ael how to prioritize. By keeping the mission untainted, he could best deal with the unexpected. The Tal Shiar often tripped over itself as agents on conflicting missions intercepted each other at unexpected times. Operatives trying to make a name for themselves often spoiled well thought out plans endorsed by the military or senate. Plutarch wanted to put an end to the chaos and if Lorlani was correct, Enid would play an important role in that. 

“What will Plutarch do if we fail?” Narek didn’t like the restriction but understood the need. Besides, multitasking is not in his wheelhouse at the moment. 

“If we fail, it’s not Plutarch we worry about,” Ni’ael smirked, “It’s my wife.” Ni’ael did not elaborate and Narek had enough to think about just breathing in and out at the moment. 

***  
Worf was used to feeling uncomfortable so the temporary presence of five Romulans aboard the Enterprise was not a big deal to him. He was concerned about Data’s daughter, Soji, though. What had she been doing in the sick bay? The synth had not been able to answer that question and it troubled him. Despite creating Data, Worf knew the Soong’s were not particularly honorable. Doctor Noonian Soong had placed a homing device in Data, the activation of which placed a young boy aboard the Enterprise in grave danger. The elder Soong had no way of knowing the havoc he had wreaked on the Enterprise but that was not the point. Soong knew Data served aboard the Federation flagship. He could have gotten a message to his son but Soong did not consider the consequences of his actions. Given the father’s propensity for arrogance and selfishness it was possible that the son, Altan, had included programming to allow him to use his creations for his own purposes. He had no doubt that Soji did not intend to injure Enid, but Soji may have had no choice. Worf wished Geordi La Forge were here. He had extensive knowledge of Data’s programming and might be able to examine Soji and find any Trojen Horses in her programming. As it was, the task would fall to Dr. Jurati assisted by the diagnostic equipment and engineering staff on the Enterprise. Hopefully the doctor was up for the task. 

He left the details to his first officer. The Romulans needed to be monitored constantly while on the ship and their quarters had to be far away from the synthetic’s. A Romulan physician was included in the party as Narek was still recovering from his injuries so they would have access to the sick bay. Dr. Mwanji was excited for the opportunity to collaborate with the Romulan doctor. Soji, understandably, was nervous about Narek’s presence on the ship but Worf considered Ni’ael to be the greater risk. Before the supernova the man had a reputation for being particularly cunning and brutal. Then there was Enid’s father. Everything the Federation knew about the man was rumor or myth. Judging from the number of ships suddenly on maneuvers near Vashti space, the man must wield considerable power. Command was backing down from its original insistence that Worf secure Enid. Now they left it to Picard to convince the young woman to seek refuge on his vineyard, something that Worf did not believe she would do. Not that he doubted Picard’s abilities. No, if anyone could reason with the powerful but terrified young woman, it was Picard. It's just that given the revelations of the past few days, he was sure the girl would want to meet her true father. He understood that need. He would choose to meet his father regardless of who he was or what he had done. Picard had his work cut out for him. 

Picard knew this. He paced his room looking at a tablet, putting it down, and picking it up again. Soji watched him wondering what he was thinking. Had he lost trust in her after the incident in sick bay? In the frantic events of the past few days, she had not mentioned Altan Soong’s demand of her. She had not taken it particularly seriously since she had no intention of fulfilling the request. Unfortunately the Romulans intercepted the transmission even though it had been done over a ‘secured channel.’ She felt violated although she was informed that this sort of espionage was not considered illegal. The Romulans were not in violation of any treaty or interstellar law. Once again, the Romulans were getting away with whatever they wanted. They had killed her sister and nearly wiped out her whole family and no one had been held accountable. 

Now Altan Soong had sent ten synths to Vashti. He had even resurrected Sutra. He assured Soji that he had deleted the plans for construction of the beacon from her neural net and programmed a block so that she would not be able to develop the technology again. Soong assured her of this as if that would make her comfortable. It didn’t. If her Altan reprogrammed Sutra, how could she be sure that he hadn’t somehow programmed her to kill Enid? Dr. Jurati had not found anything yet but within the billions of lines of code there could be a subroutine that allowed Altan to bypass her personality angams. Could he make her do whatever he wanted? That bothered her even more than the Romulan did at the moment. 

The crew of La Serina had been given rooms near each other and far from their Romulan competitors. Captain Rios did not feel comfortable leaving Agnes but his ship could not keep up with the Enterprise and time was of the essence. Therefore, La Serina was docked in the Enterprise shuttle bay. Aside from the occasional shoulder rub, there was not much he could do to help Agnes as she looked through Soji’s programming. He did like watching her work. The way she knit her brows together and bit her lower lip was intoxicating to him but his presence was distracting to Agnes. He busied himself with some routine maintenance on his ship. 

A’den found himself somewhat isolated since admitting to being in the same order as his father. Vulcan authorities believed A’den’s contention that he had only joined to help his sister against Rynar so he was not detained although he would face an official inquiry after Enid was recovered. If Picard were successful in convincing Enid to accept asylum on his vineyard under the watchful eyes of two ex Tal Shiar officers, A’den thought he could continue his fathers work. Maybe not until she recovered from the trauma of the last few days but eventually. Sites like Kiara and Aia existed all over the galaxy and Enid had been imprinted with all his father’s research on the matter. S’ril had been close to breakthrough. A code of some kind that would unlock the location of all the sites. He had hidden this information within Enid’s mind to keep it from Rynar who wanted to take a more aggressive approach to defeating their ancient enemy. S’ril had advocated for containment of the Synthetic Alliance, not annihilation. Rynar had seen Enid as a weapon, S’ril saw his foster daughter as a tool. 

A’den tried to enlist Missy but she refused to come stating that she believed Enid would be better off with her Romulan relatives. Obviously, Narek had been successful in manipulating his sister’s best friend. Missy was also certain that with Rone's death, Enid would need space. Missy and Rone had argued bitterly in the previous three years and whether out of shame or grief Missy wanted to distance herself from Enid right now. Besides, the O’Dares had suffered huge losses. Three of Missy’s brothers, including Rory, had been killed in the attack. Missy wanted to be with her family. A’den wondered how his Little Bee would take her friend's absence. Enid was not acting herself. Little Bee did not kill people even if she were under attack. The most aggressive thing his sister had done prior to this was encouraging birds to expel their excrement on Jimmy Fisher’s head. That Romulan, Narek, had already corrupted her but if he could meld with her, he might be able to set things straight again. 

***

Zani watched Elnor approach carrying the albino girl. She was barely conscious, her feet were torn up as if she had run hard over rough terrain, and her arm had been broken but was partially mended as if the attending physician had abandoned his work. She wore what looked like a hospital gown and had a backpack with a sparkly equine creature on it. 

“Enid is on the run from the Tal Shiar,” Elnor told her, “And the Orion Syndicate.” 

“Is that all?” Zani raised her brow as she regarded her new guest. 

“Some Vulcans are after her as well,” he said in the interest of total honesty, “But she might have killed all of them.” 

Zani didn’t hide her surprise. The child didn’t look capable of killing a Vulcan. By her ears and brow she could be Vulcan or Romulan but she was short and her blood was obviously the wrong color, “What species is she?”

“She’s a Betazoid/Romulan hybrid,” Elnor said, “She needs our help.” 

“I have never heard of such a mixture,” Zani said, “How did you come to know her?” Elnor explained how A’den had hired La Serina and gave a brief summary of the events on Kiara while the nuns tended to Enid’s wounds. One of the nuns brought jonar, the green liquid that Enid recognized. She shook her head and recoiled. 

“It will help you feel better,” Elnor prodded. “Hold your nose,” he suggested. She complied eventually and the face she made caused the nuns around her as well as Elnor to laugh. 

“You should let Picard know Enid is safe,” Zani reminded Elnor. Enid had fallen deeply asleep. It was late afternoon. she slept through the night and well into the next day waking only briefly after an apparent nightmare. While she slept, Elnor decided to go into the village to find some snakeleaf explaining that the girl couldn’t converse without it. 

“You have brought us a most interesting guest,” Zani commented. As he procured the drug, Elnor told himself that maybe now he would get an advertisement next time they went to Freecloud. He had felt left out on their last visit when everyone on board La Serina was accosted by the annoying ads. When he returned he found Enid awake and scribbling in her notebook. The nuns had given her clothes and sandals.

“It is fortunate that your friend has rather large feet for her size,” a young initiate named Maile informed him when he returned. He sat in front of Enid and offered her the snakeleaf and horgl. She made the sign for thank you and placed the horgl in her backpack. She could smell the lunch the nuns prepared and realized she had consumed nothing but cookies and jonar for the last two days. Despite Maile’s assessment of her feet, the sandals she’d been given were a little large but they didn’t slow her down as she rushed to the table. Lunch was a vegetable soup adapted from a Romulan recipe to take advantage of the produce available on Vashti. Enid helped herself to two overfilled bowls and was on her way back for a third when Zani stopped her. 

“You’ll make yourself sick if you eat too much on an empty stomach,” she said. Zani offered her two thin wafer cookies for dessert which she took eagerly. Her stomach full, she wandered out to the garden. She found a tree and dozed under it for an hour or so waking up when a bug crawled across her foot. At first, she thought she was having POP withdrawal so she laughed when she saw the brightly colored beetle. She let it crawl on her hand before placing it in the grass. Enid noticed small purple flowers competing with the grass for space and nutrients. She found a patch where the buds hadn’t flowered yet. Placing her face close to the ground she looked at the plants with hungry eyes before poking one with her finger. The bloom unfolded. It was winter at the settlement but at the convent on Vashti it was late summer. It seemed like it had been years, no decades, since the last time she was able to do this. She giggled and repeated with the next blossom, and the next blossom. She was aware Elnor was watching her and wanted her to talk. It was nice of him to pick up the snakeleaf. Physically, she felt much better but she didn’t want to clear her head. She wanted to listen to the music. She was glad Elnor brought her here. 

Zani saw Elnor watching the girl, “What is troubling you?” she asked.

“Why doesn’t she take the snakeleaf?” he asked, “She can talk if she uses it.” 

“What would you like her to say?” 

Elnor did not really know. “I just want her to interact with me,” he finally said, “I want to help her.” 

“From what you’ve told me,” Zani began, “She has no reason to smile or laugh. She is doing both right now. It seems to me that you have helped her.” 

Maile ran out to the garden, “Picard is on the comm!” she announced. Elnor and Zani left Maile to watch Enid.

“It seems that we have another problem,” Picard told them, “Altan Soong has decided that Enid is a threat and has sent ten synths to Vashti.” 

“For what purpose?” Elnor asked. 

“To kill her,” Picard said, “Acana warned Soji.” Picard explained that Soong had wanted Soji to kill Enid aboard the Enterprise. He theorised that between the prophecies, her connection to Missy O’Dare, and Narek’s involvement, Soong convinced himself that Enid was a mortal threat to his family. 

“That’s no better than what the Zaht Vash did!” Elnor was angry.

“Zani,” Picard said, “We are on our way to hopefully dissuade the synths. If we don’t make it in time…” he let the plea hang. 

“She certainly seems to be in need of help.” Zani said kindly. 

“Thank you!” Picard hoped it was enough. 

Zani and Elnor returned to find Enid sitting cross legged on the garden wall rocking side to side and staring at the mountains in the distance. Whoops and howls could be heard on the early evening winds. Enid looked at them, pointed to her ear and then to the mountains. 

“You want to know what that sound is?” Zani asked. When Enid nodded eagerly she continued, “Every year baboons gather in the mountains at this time to find a mate. There are perhaps hundreds of them there right now.” Enid’s mind conjured images of baboons flirting with each other and dancing close together so she giggled. Zani saw it. She saw what Enid imagined, “I don’t think that is how it works.” Enid smiled and continued to look towards the range. 

Absolute Candor indicated that Zani needed to tell her guest of the threat that was coming but for the first time she found herself at a loss for words. 

“Enid,” she attempted to get the child to look at her but Enid stubbornly avoided her gaze. She shifted her head to the left and right viewing Zani out of her peripheral vision. Zani caught the girl by the arms and held her, “Enid, there are people coming to kill you.” She expected an emotional response but was puzzled when it didn’t materialize. The girl smiled and tapped her forehead with the fingertips of her right hand. Zani was confused, but Elnor had learned a few signs on the trip to Kiara. 

“She says she knows,” he told Zani.


	23. Chapter 23

Once he settled in his room aboard the Enterprise, Narek slept for several hours. He woke to the sound of his door chime. His head still swam when he changed positions so he eased himself over to the edge of the bed and called, “Come!” The sound of his voice hurt his ears and set his head pounding. He groaned. 

“You look like hell,” was Ni’ael’s comment and he gestured to the doctor who used a portable medical scanner to assess the man’s condition. The doctor opened his case and took out a hypo spray which he applied to Narek’s neck. 

“That’s better,” Narek mumbled a thanks to the doctor who Ni’ael then dismissed. He packed his kit and left. 

“Clean up,” Ni’ael ordered. Narek walked to the vanity. Triggered by his presence a panel slid open revealing a basin and faucet. He splashed water on his face and examined himself in the mirror. He rubbed his chin and neck deciding that a shave was in order. Working quickly, he started to feel more himself. When he was finished Ni’ael asked if he were hungry. Narek answered with a curt nod and grunt. Ni’ael thought it would be interesting to eat in Ten Forward. Narek found his jacket discarded over a chair and grabbed it. Boo’s feather fell out of his pocket. He retrieved it, smiling as he studied it for a moment then placed it back in its spot in the right breast pocket and patted his chest. He took another quick look in the mirror and smoothed his hair. 

“Ready for duty,” he told Ni’ael who had been studying him with intense interest. Ni’ael smiled and thought that his plan was coming together. 

The men entered Ten Forward to find Fank and Cailem already seated near a window on the far side of the lounge. This meant the pair had to walk past A’den and the crew from La Serina who were also gathered for a meal. Narek avoided looking at Soji but studied A’den intensely as he passed. A’den met his stare with the detachment of a Vulcan. Narek had not liked A’den all those years ago and he still didn’t. 

“What is your plan with Enid?” Ni’ael asked after the men ordered food.

“No particular plan,” Narek responded. Noticing Ni’ael’s expression Narek added, “You can’t manipulate Enid.” He could see that Ni’ael needed further reassurance, “How do you catch a sand devil?” he asked. Ni’ael thought about it. The safest method was to dig out around its burrow until it fell out then hope like hell it didn’t bite. A sand devil’s bite was deadly by virtue of the bacteria that usually inhabited its mouth. It was a painful and lingering death. Ni’ael liked the analogy of Enid as the plucky little desert rodent even if the creature were now extinct due to the supernova.

“I would wear gloves,” Fank observed, “Thick gloves.” Fank had grown up in the desert and had some experience with the creatures. He told them that he once fancied having one as a pet but never managed to catch one and described his failed attempts to do so. 

“They can’t be tamed!” Cailem regarded his friend in disbelief. 

“I was young,” Fank offered as an excuse. The food came and the men fell quiet as they ate. 

At La Serina’s table Picard leaned over to Soji, “Can you hear what they are saying?” 

“Yes,” she said, “They are talking about desert rodents.” 

The men finished their meal. As they passed A’den, Narek stopped and regarded the younger man. “You’re still a crappy brother,” he said. 

“I beg your pardon?” A’den stood. Narek looked vaguely familiar but A’den couldn’t place him. 

“You’ve known for years the kind of danger Enid was in,” Narek goaded, “but what did you do?” 

“I don’t know you,” A’den began logically, “And I am not accountable to you.”

“You don’t remember,” Narek teased, “How Enid sister saved my life?” A’den had been plenty old enough to remember the incident. S’ril had destroyed Enid’s memory of the event but had he also tampered with his biological son’s memory? 

“My sister met you four days ago,” A’den replied evenly. The confrontation attracted the attention of Enterprise security who stood ready to intervene. 

“Did S’ril alter his memory as well?” Ni’ael decided to help dig out the burrow.

“Oh certainly,” Narek responded, enjoying the opportunity to tag team the young Vulcan. If he had any regard for A’den, this might have troubled him. As it was, he felt he had earned himself a bit of an indulgence. After all he had been impaled for Enid. This was more than the mission, he knew. He wanted to hurt the Vulcan. 

“The best way to overcome a telepathic block is to confront the memory,” Ni’ael said with mock concern.

“Well,” Narek responded as if they were doctors considering how to treat a patient, “I can oblige.” He skipped over the part where he had gone for a walk to stretch his legs and ended up outside on the loading dock to peek at the night sky hoping to catch a glimpse of his treacherous home star. He had been about to leave when Enid’s alicorn backpack had come flying over the security wall landing at his feet. She scaled the tall wall and climbed the chain link atop it squeezing effortlessly through the razor wire without so much as snagging her clothes. She leaped two meters to a pole that she shimmied down, dusted herself off then led him back to the hanger where his ship was being repaired. He didn’t share how he entertained the girl with his tan zhekran while they waited for his captain to fetch the station master and how he had given her the toy prize. In exchange she insisted that he take the pendant he wore. 

He did outline her attempts to communicate to the captain about the plasma fire building behind an access panel in the ship's engine room. No one understood her gestural language but when A’den arrived rather than interpret, he tried to drag Enid home until she stopped him with an epic tantrum. “If our engine room ignited, the entire station would have been destroyed,” he concluded. 

“You left out the best part,” Ni’ael said, “Lorlani said that you tackled the crewman that rushed Enid.”

“Yes,” Narek hadn’t known that Lorlani was on that rickety transport but didn’t let that show, “I think Enid tried to communicate telepathically and it disturbed the man.” 

“Lorlani said you threw yourself at him,” Ni’ael laughed, “Like a wet rag on a wildfire.” 

“I hadn’t had my growth spurt yet,” Narek said earnestly, “I wasn’t thinking. I just believed that protecting Enid was important...I still do.” He let his eyes wander to catch Picard’s. In his estimation, Picard was his chief rival. 

“Lorlani summoned the captain.”

“Just in time,” Narek assured him, “For the rest of the trip, I didn’t sleep in the same place twice.” 

“Why?” Ni’ael hadn’t heard this part of the story.

“I was afraid of being strangled in the middle of the night.” Narek had never experienced fear in his life before the supernova. He was young when his parents died. He didn’t remember them. Ramdha was mentally off, but she had provided him with a secure childhood. 

“Well you didn’t need to be,” Ni’ael said dryly, “Lorlani had the man thrown out an airlock once the ship left orbit.” This revelation elicited gasps from La Serina. Ni’ael looked at them apologetically, “She was pregnant with our first child,” he explained, “My wife is a bit testy in her first quarter.” By his tone, he could have been discussing the weather. 

“This is personal for you,” Raffe mumbled. 

“Indeed,” Ni’ael regarded A’den. He looked as though the ground beneath his feet was turning to mud. He glanced at Narek who’s facial expression told him that their work was done. The men left Ten Forward. 

After the door closed behind the Romulans, A’den fainted. He was taken to sick bay.

“There are very real physical injuries that occur as the result of a telepathic memory block,” Dr. Mwanji explained, “You need to follow up with doctors on Vulcan.” 

“You’re sure that the Romulans did not do something to him?” Worf asked. 

“There is no sign of toxins,” Dr. Mwanji explained, “No sign of any assault at all. Well except that a memory block is a sort of assault.” 

“How did the Romulans know there was a memory block?” Worf did not like this development. 

“I’m sure they guessed correctly,” Picard surmised, “How old were you at the time of the event?” 

“Eight,” A’den responded robotically. He did not want to discuss this. He now remembered that night. S’ril had taken his sister kicking and screaming into her room. Her screams! He couldn’t...

“So your sister was four.” Picard didn’t pause for confirmation, “Dr. Mwanji, what would be the effects of a memory block on a child that young?” 

“Unknown,” Dr. Mwanji was shocked at the suggestion.

“Conjecture,” Picard persisted. 

Dr. Mwanji scratched his head, “Cognitive deficits, I imagine. The child’s memory functioning would be affected.” 

“And the cumulative effect of multiple memory blocks?” 

“That’s absurd!” Dr. Mwanji was indignant, “No one would do that!” 

“Suppose that they did, what would happen?” Picard wanted to know what he would be dealing with. What sorts of support would Enid need if he could convince her to accept his offer? What sort of obstacles would he face in reasoning with her? 

“I can’t!” Dr. Mwanji shouted, “There is no record of that ever being done! It would be unspeakable!” He turned and walked to his office closing the door. Picard looked at Worf who assured him he would talk to his doctor. 

***  
Enid ate heartily at dinner and then spent some time scribbling in her notebook. Elnor suggested several times that she try the snakeleaf. He wanted to discuss strategies with her but eventually gave up. By his estimate the synths would be there by noon the next day. The sisters talked into the night about the impending attack while Enid appeared to sleep deeply, seeming unperturbed by the news that ten assassins were less than twenty four hours away. Enid did not want the snakeleaf. She knew what she was going to do and talking about it would not make it easier. When the nuns retired they posted sentries. Elnor perched himself where he could watch Enid as she slept. 

Their precautions were problematic but not insurmountable. Enid had been sneaking out most of her life despite the precautions that S’ril had employed to deter her. She took her backpack and rolled up her blanket to bring as well. The evening air was chilly. 

The nuns had a stable. Enid had never actually ridden a real equine before but hoped it would be similar to riding Boo. She studied the animals and chose one that she felt a bond with. Quietly she led the animal away from the convent so as not to alert the sleeping nuns. She didn’t know how to work a saddle or bridle so she was going to ride bareback. Once she was clear of the convent, she rubbed behind the beast’s ear. It bent down so she could mount. She had some difficulty balancing the blanket so she wrapped it around her like a cloak and felt hopeful for the first time in days. In her estimation, while she was still on the run at least she had sandals on her feet and clothes on her back. She had food in her belly and a powerful beast to carry her quickly away. As she raced towards the mountains, she smiled. 

The next morning Elnor realized that he’d fallen asleep and Enid was gone. After a search the sisters determined that Enid had taken an equine from the stables. One of the sisters found the trail that led to the mountains. 

“What could the girl be thinking?” Zani asked Elnor. She had not thought to tell the girl that baboons during mating season could be dangerous. Elnor did not have a clue but took an equine and rode off after her. Zani hailed Picard on the Enterprise.

“We had sentries posted but no one saw her leave,” Zani was perplexed by the girl’s flight. 

“It doesn’t surprise me,” was Picard’s statement. Enid had escaped the Enterprise, walking through force fields and compelling the ensine in the transporter room to do her wishes. “She seems to be something of an escape artist.” 

“The synths are not the only dangers in the mountains,” Zani told him of the baboons, “I do not believe the child understands the danger. She seems quite simple.” 

“Oh I don’t think so,” Picard definitely felt Enid was much more complex than anyone recognized. He hoped Elnor was careful. “Do you know anything of her father, Plutarch?” 

“We had a relationship when we were both young,” A warm smile crossed Zani’s face, “Nearly three quarters of a century has passed since.” 

Picard was surprised. He had never asked Zani her age. Like Vulcans, Romulans had long life spans compared to humans. “Is he not Tal Shiar?”

“No,” Zani interrupted, laughing, “Plutarch is not Tal Shiar, although I am certain that he would have some of that ilk among his vassals. People in his position would have to learn to live with that organization.” This revelation gave Picard some insight into what would have caused a rift between the young lovers. 

“What do you suppose are his intentions towards his daughter?” Picard understood that Zani’s perception of the man might be out of date. 

“I will not conjecture. The young man I knew was honorable,” Zani said, “However, I have not spoken with him for many decades. So much of what the elites do is secretive and Plutarch’s family was more than elite.” 

“His family?” Picard asked, “Does Plutarh answer to someone else?” 

“Not that I am aware of,” Zani said, “He has been the master of his house for some time.” 

Picard thanked Zani for her help. He arranged with Worf to meet Ni’ael, Narek, and A’den in the Observation Lounge of the Enterprise. He brought Raffe as well. He needed someone to observe what he might miss in the conversation. There was so much to process and he didn’t want anything to slide by. He knew that his synthetic brain could process information much more efficiently but this didn’t replace good old fashioned experience and intuition. He valued those qualities in Raffe. 

The two Romulans and one Vulcan listened stoically to Picard's account of his conversation with Zani. It was Raffe who broke the awkward silence asking what Enid’s plan could be. 

“She’s planning to fight Goliath,” was Narek’s response to that question. The man had reached into his breast pocket and was studying a white feather as he spoke. 

“Goliath?” Picard remembered that Missy’s family practiced the ancient Earth religion but what did Narek know of such things? “You mean as in the Bible story?” Picard needed explanation. 

“Yes,” Narek said. He did not elaborate. 

“What is that?” A’den asked, indicating the feather.

“A feather,” Narek looked at the Vulcan, “From Boo.” 

“That’s impossible,” A’den said, irritated. He was having difficulty maintaining emotional control since the memory block was shattered, “Boo isn’t real!” 

“Wait!” Picard was fascinated by this development, “Didn’t Rynar kill Boo?” 

“Boo was very real to Enid,” Narek directed his comment to A’den. He turned next to Picard, “Rynar did slay Boo. I saw the body and Enid presented me with the feather.” 

“You could only see Boo if you were in her mind,” A’den said, “You are telepathic,” he concluded. That would explain how the Romulan had so easily manipulated Enid and Missy. 

“I am not,” Narek responded, “Enid invited--no, drew me into her mind.” Narek could see the revelation had the desired effect on A’den. The young Vulcan was sinking deeper into the mud. The burrow collapsed. Narek looked at Picard to ascertain how the synthetic old man was processing this information but Picard’s visage gave him no clues. The doctor’s ministrations were wearing off and Narek’s head was starting to swim again. He knew he had to hold it together for the mission--for Enid.

“Wait!” said Raffe, “The feather is a physical manifestation of what existed in her mind?” Raffe and Picard exchanged guarded expressions. Enid was not a typical telekinetic. That is if a telekinetic could ever be called typical. 

The door to the observation lounge opened and Worf stepped in, “We are receiving a communication from Vashti,” he said and activated the viewscreen. They had an aerial view as the synths assembled in front of what looked like a cliff face. Enid and Elnor stood on a ledge several meters up from the base of the cliff. 

Elnor with his sword drawn said, “Please friends--” and crumpled to the ledge with a flash. The view changed. It appeared that whatever was broadcasting had fallen so all the assembled could see was dirt and grass.

“How nice...I wanted to kill…” It was Sutra but the rest was difficult to make out. They couldn’t see out what was happening but they could hear unnatural screams. 

“How soon till we arrive at Vashti?” Ni’ael’s voice was dangerously icy. 

“Five hours,” Worf responded. Narek replaced the feather in his breast pocket. He swiveled his seat and wordlessly looked out the window at the stars. A’den placed his elbows on the conference room table and held his head in his hands. This was devastating to him but on some level he was relieved. If Enid were dead already there was nothing left for him to do.


	24. Chapter 24

Ni’ael walked with Narek back to his quarters. The doctor met them there and Narek received another hypospray. It helped, but what he really needed was rest. Unfortunately that was the last thing that was going to happen. He and Ni’ael spent the next few hours watching and rewatching the grim footage. At times they were sure that Enid had survived, other times it seemed there was no way that she could be alive. There was also the other possibility that Enid had been taken by the synths. How would Plutarch respond to that?

Vashti’s planetary defenses necessitated that the away team transport to a prespecified point at predetermined regular intervals. It was an old system and an override would cause further delay so they were transported to the center of the town near the convent. The appearance of five Romulans in the company of double the number of Starfleet officers and the crew of La Serina caused a sensation. Dr. Jurati came in case of casualties and Rios needed to protect Jurati. Picard and Soji came to reason with the synths although that seemed to no longer be necessary and Raffe came because Picard wanted her there. A’den was there as well. By the time the group reached the convent a crowd of Romulans and humans gathered and followed despite Worf’s orders that the townspeople return to their homes. They found the nuns, conscious but bound. 

“What happened?” Picard asked Zani as he undid the straps that held her arms and legs. 

“They had a weapon that rendered us unconscious,” she said, “I am sorry Picard, we were of no help.” 

“These synthetics have no honor,” Worf observed, “They do not fight as warriors but hide behind technology.” Soji winced at the statement. 

“We need to go to the mountain,” Ni’ael said. 

“Look!” Maile called, pointing at two figures approaching from the direction of the mountains. 

“There is only one rider,” Narek squinted and shaded his eyes against the setting sun. 

“What is that,” Maile asked, “It looks like a bundle on the other horse.” 

“A body,” A’den said, “The rider is too tall to be Enid.” He regarded Soji and Picard. Hiring La Serina had turned out to be a mistake. If his father had simply surrendered his sister to Rynar, at least she would still be alive. He blamed Soji. What business did she have discussing his sister with her family? Still struggling with emotional control, his opinion was evident in his expression. For once Narek agreed with the young Vulcan. He too glared at the synthetic with murderous intent. Soji fell back behind Picard. 

“Let’s see,” Picard said, sensing that Soji was very much in danger. 

The rider was Elnor. He stopped in front of the group. Before he dismounted a pale figure slipped off the equine. Enid had been sitting behind him. A’den rushed forward but Enid held up her hand. She released the cords holding the bundle on the other equine. Nine synthetic heads rolled and bounced on the ground. Soji gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. Enid walked up to the synthetic woman.

“Tell your people,” she said through clenched teeth, “Tell your people if they ever attack me again that I will come to Copellius and slaughter every last one of them!” Her eyes were red with anger, “I will slaughter them,” she repeated, “And I will use their heads to make a throne upon which I will sit and rain fire down on all my enemies!” 

As she regarded the assembled crowd something odd happened. The Romulans from town bowed their heads and placed their right fist over their left shoulder. Enid had no idea what that was about but she felt her point had been made so she kicked a head out of her way and strode into the convent. 

Tears clouded Soji’s eye as she tried to collect the heads of her dead brother and sisters. “Help me,” she pleaded with Elnor who shook his head and walked into the convent. A’dan and Zani. Two nuns led the equines away. Picard hesitated. He looked to Rios who nodded. 

“Shall we?” he gestured to the Romulans. He wanted to get them away from Soji so she could collect her dead without having to endure their hateful glares. Rios, Raffe, and Agnes helped Soji bundle up the heads in the blanket. The four of them walked to the transport site and returned to the Enterprise. Worf and the Starfleet officers worked to disperse the crowd. 

The synths had arrived on Vashti ahead of the Enterprise as expected and headed straight for the home of the warrior nuns. They were greeted with the customary entreaty, “Please, my friends, choose to live.” The response to this was a flash, and the nuns fell. When a search of the compound did not yield the albino, Sutra placed her hand on one of the unconscious nuns to discover that the girl had fled to the mountains. Altan had been very specific in his instructions, no one but the girl was to be hurt if at all possible so the synths bound the nuns before resuming the chase. On some level, Sutra hoped the girl would provide a more formidable target than the warrior nuns had. 

Elnor found Enid on the mountain. The baboons had not ripped her to shreds for interrupting their annual mating. They didn’t seem to notice her presence. Even her equine did not appear phased by the presence of the baboons although the animal would normally be on the menu for such creatures. His mount however was very aware of their presence and refused to go forward. Enid left her perch on a ledge about ten meters up the cliff face. The baboons retreated into the brush as she approached, giving Elnor the impression that Enid had exercised some control over the beasts. She settled his steed and gave him an annoyed look. He followed her back to the ledge. 

From the ledge, Enid could easily see the House of Truth and the surrounding area. Elnor thought that at least they would see the synths coming. He was anxious that the young woman did not appear frightened. In fact, she was nibbling on the same type of cookies that Zani had given her yesterday and drinking milk from a thermos. Not only had she snuck out in the middle of the night, without alerting the nuns, she had raided the larder as well. She had not used the snakeleaf and did not communicate her plan to Elnor despite his repeated insistence that she should. Enid sat cross legged on the ledge, eating as if she were on a picnic. Elnor gave up trying to determine her plan and crouched next to her on the ledge studying the horizon. She offered him a cookie which he refused. She shrugged. 

Enid knew the young man was confused and impatient. He was worried about her plan. The plan that she had not shared. The truth was, so was she. She didn’t know what sort of weapons the synths had at their disposal. What if they had something that interfered with psionic abilities? When she finally spotted the synths closing the gap between the convent and the mountain with unnatural speed she was afraid.

She had found the miniature drone that Missy packed in her backpack. The device was simple, Missy had often made recordings of the two of them before she had gone away and Enid was familiar with its basic operation. When they got close enough she launched the device not realizing that she had accidentally activated its broadcast option. Everything that happened on the mountainside would now be broadcast to Federation news outlets in the sector. Her intent was to leave some documentation of the crime that the synths were about to commit. She wasn’t sure she would survive the assault but if she didn’t she hoped there would be a record of what happened to her. 

The thought of her impending death brought tears to her eyes. She took deep breaths and counted with her fingers until she had achieved some level of calm. Elnor drew his sword when the synths took a position below the ledge. Sutra activated the weapon that she had used on the nuns. Elnor collapsed on the ledge and Missy’s drone dropped from the sky. It was still broadcasting but the view was limited. Enid successfully repelled the effects of the synthetic’s weapon. 

“Fine,” Sutra said curtly, “I wanted to kill…” The baboons leaped to Enid's defense. Initially the synths were successful in deflecting the animal’s attack and several dozen were destroyed but Zani had vastly underestimated the number of creatures occupying the mountain. Sutra, seeing that victory was not assured, used a personal transporter and left her synthetic brothers and sisters. Within minutes it was over. Nine synths lay dead and in pieces. 

After determining that Elnor was alive she took his sword, slung her backpack over her shoulders, and climbed down the cliff face. Once she confirmed her assailants were in fact dead, she stuck the sword in the ground while she turned her attention to the injured, dieing or dead baboons. She could heal injured baboons just like she had done to the squirrels or birds that fell victim to Jimmy Fisher’s slingshot when she was little. The ones that were too far gone, she finished with the sword. She then dragged the dead baboons into a pile. She never learned to count much past ten without losing track but she knew that she had counted to ten many times over as assembled the dead baboons. The enormity of the carnage was just too much and she collapsed on the ground and sobbed. This is how Elnor found her when he came to. 

Elnor climbed down the cliff face and retrieved his sword. To him it looked like she had been trying to create a funeral pyre for the baboons. Not knowing what to do, he finished the task for her then he sat down next to her occasionally reaching over to rub her back. Her sobs had slowed and eventually she fell quiet. She reached for her backpack and pulled out the horgl. Finally, Elnor would be able to talk to her! 

“I’m thirsty,” she said. Elnor produced a canteen and she drank. She thanked him. Elnor studied the effects the day’s events had on the young woman. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were swollen and red. The dark color of her clothes hid much of the baboon blood but it had spattered on her hair and covered her hands. 

“There is a stream,” he told her, “Over there. Let me help you.” He was pleased when she nodded. Vashti baboons were large, weighing in at 35 kilograms. Without Romulan strength moving dozens of the beasts took a physical toll. Elnor practically carried her to the stream and helped her clean up. The blood had stained her hair pink. It would take a proper washing, perhaps several, before her hair was white again. 

When she stood she was still quite shaky, Elnor suggested she eat. He opened her backpack to look for food. He found notebooks, various writing instruments, a fluffy bear, and cookies.

“You only packed cookies,” he said. It would have to do but he felt she could use some jonar. 

“I like cookies,” was her reply, “I don’t like jonar.” She would have packed some of the soup if she could have found another thermos. 

“No one likes jonar,” he laughed, “But it makes you strong.” That sounded very Romulan to Enid. While they still frightened her, she had gotten to know the occupants of her ocean better over the past few days. It would take the rest of her life to truly understand them but she had a good feel for how they thought. She ate the cookies and drank more from Elnor’s canteen until she felt she could stand on her own. 

“I need your sword again,” she said to Elnor when they returned to the base of the cliff. The synths had been too heavy for her to move but Elnor had placed them in a row in the dirt. 

“What for?” Elnor was worried she might try and hurt herself. 

“Please,” Enid touched his shoulder, “It will be ok.” He drew his sword and handed it to her. Her habit of secrecy may have been the result of the supernova. She walked to the nearest synth, raised the sword above her head and brought it down on the being’s neck. For her effort she was rewarded by shooting pain in the arm that had been broken. She dropped the sword and clutched her arm. The arm was functional for the most part but she would require surgery to repair the botched treatment at a later date. The weapon had only cut through the epidermal layer of the synthetic. 

“What are you doing?” Elnor wasn’t sure he could support her efforts to desecrate the bodies of her fallen enemies. Soji was his friend and these were her family members. 

“They need to fear me,” she said rubbing her arm. 

“Who? The synths?” he asked, “I think they will.” 

“No!” she answered bitterly, “Everyone must fear me,” she placed her hands on her hip and stomped her foot, “There is no way for me to be safe.” The shadows were very clear on this. She needed to strike fear in the hearts of all her enemies. 

“Enid, it’s over. You are safe,” Elnor didn’t know how to reassure Enid, “Picard will help you! You can be safe!” 

“So, I’m to spend my entire life cloistered on the old man’s vineyard?” she demanded, “Would you accept that?” 

Elnor thought about it. No, he would not. He understood what it was like to be stuck in a place that he didn’t truly belong. As much as he loved the nuns, he was glad to be free of Vashti. He still liked to visit but given a choice between a life on Vashti or La Serina, he’d choose the latter every day. Picard’s vineyard would just be pleasant prison and she had not done anything to deserve that fate. She couldn’t come on La Serina either, not with Soji aboard. Not after this. 

“The only way I will ever be safe is if everyone fears me. Everyone! The synths, the Tal Shiar, the Orions...Everyone must know I’m dangerous!” 

Looking at the slight pale woman dressed in ill fitting warrior garb he realized she had a point. She didn’t look dangerous and people would always be underestimating her. He bent down and examined the synths neck. They had a sturdy construction evidenced by the number of baboons it had taken to overcome them. Primates instinctively attacked the eyes and face, vulnerable points even on the synths. The fallen did not even resemble people now. If he hit between the vertebrae he might be able accomplish this task for her. It took him at least three strikes on each synth but he made quick work of it. They bundled up the heads in the blanket and secured them on one equine. Enid would ride on his mount seated behind him. 

“Why didn’t you just snap their necks like the Nausacaan?” He asked while they worked. Enid debated if she should answer his question. He deserved an answer but could she trust someone who always told the truth? She didn’t want anyone to know of her vulnerability. “Enid?” He had been watching the debate play out on her face. 

“Can you keep a secret?” she asked. 

“It is not my way,” he said. 

“You’re not really one of them, you know,” she felt immediate remorse when she saw the stricken look on his face, “I’m sorry...It’s just that it’s my secret. If you had the universe chasing you wouldn’t want to broadcast your secrets.” 

“Just because we don’t keep secrets, doesn’t mean we are gossips,” he said angrily, “Absolute Candor is the unfiltered expression of emotions.” 

“Can you promise not to tell anyone?” she asked. 

“A promise is a prison,” he replied, “Would you be my jailor?” Oddly he found he rather liked the idea of being her prisoner. 

“Yes,” she said awkwardly, “I will not tell you otherwise.” 

“Fine,” he said, “Your secret dies with me.” It was a bold choice for the young man. She looked away and bounced on her toes. Elnor smiled, evidence to the contrary, she didn’t look dangerous. He reached out and touched her shoulder, “No one really asks me anything anyway,” he said. Even on La Serena he was rarely consulted on matters of importance. 

“Killing hurts,” she said, tears in her eyes, “I thought...If I didn’t actually do it….” Her expression told him she had been wrong. She had felt the deaths of the synths. In fact, she had felt the deaths of the baboons as well. Her strategy had been a dismal failure. “If people keep coming for me, I’ll have to keep killing,” she fought back tears. Elnor ginerly put his arms around her and held her until she broke the embrace. She wiped her face with her sleeve. 

“There is a storm brewing back at the House of Truth,” she said. She was getting better at reaching out when on the snakeleaf. The drug quieted the music. It didn’t really deaden her abilities, it just changed them. “We’d better go.” It would take a few hours to ride back. Enor was keenly aware of Enid’s body pressed against his atop his equine. Her arms were around his waist and she buried her face in his hair that fell over his shoulders onto his back. At times her tears would soak through his shirt. Yes, he would keep her secret, he thought.


	25. Chapter 25

In the Enterprise sick bay Dr. Mwanji worked Enid walked straight to the ‘room’ that the nuns had given for her to use during her stay. She knew everyone could see her through the curtains so she really couldn’t relax. It was A’den who approached her first. 

“Little Bee,” he said tentatively. 

“Don’t call me that!” she spat bitterly, “Never call me that again!” She couldn’t be fierce with such a nickname. 

“As you wish,” he said, “Enid, we need to talk about what happens now.” 

“You want me to go live at the vineyard,” she said. 

“It is a generous offer,” A’den said, “You would be safe.” 

“I’m not a dog,” she said, “I don’t need to be rehomed after my owner dies.” A’den sighed. This was not going to be easy but he didn’t feel he had the luxury of time. 

“Maybe try it for a while,” he bargained, “If you don’t like it, we can find you someplace else.” 

“No!” she spun to leave. A’den reached out to hold her which was a mistake. He found himself thrown several meters taking the curtains from several rooms with him as he fell. The Romulans exchanged knowing looks. The young Vulcan made the mistake of trying to handle a cornered sand devil. Picard helped that man up, realizing that he was going to have to come up with something more enticing if he was going to convince Enid to stay with the Federation. Enid stayed in the room although it could barely be called that now. 

Zani took Enid some fresh clothes, “Is it safe?” she asked with a warm smile. 

“Sorry,” Enid looked at the damage she caused. The nuns were already rehanging the curtains. 

“You have had a rough few days,” Zani said dismissively. Enid stepped behind the modesty screen, activated the sonic shower, then changed into the new outfit. She was thrilled that the length had been shortened and expressed gratitude to Zani for the kindness. Zani explained that the nuns had not been sure how long Enid would be staying with them. She also extended an invitation for her to stay as long as she needed. A few nuns brought Enid the soup from yesterday and a crusty bread. 

“I want this recipe,” Enid smiled and ate up. Zani reminded her of Muriel and Raelyn and she liked her. Staying here might be nice for a while but she didn’t think the men waiting for her would allow it. Also, her presence would endanger the nuns. “You knew my father,” she realized. 

“You want people to keep your secrets yet you pluck what you need out of people’s minds?” Zani admonished. 

“He told?” Enid looked towards Elnor. 

“No,” Zani said, “But I raised Elnor. I can tell when something is weighing on his mind. You would be his jailer.” 

“He agreed,” she argued, “You’re telepathic.” 

“No,” Zani told her. The two women sat quietly for a time. 

“I can’t always help it,” she said, needing to break the quiet. She didn’t want Zani to think badly of her, “Information just jumps out. Please tell me what you know about my father. Narek was vague…” 

“Narek is Tal Shiar. That is their way,” Zani said. She told her about the young man she knew but then warned her, “I have not spoken with your father in many decades. He could be different.” 

“What do you think I should do?” Enid asked.

“If I gave you advice,” Zani told her, “I would incur a responsibility. I will not do this. You are responsible for your destiny now.” Zani excused herself leaving Enid to finish her soup. 

Enid let her mind wander. The tides had retreated from the beach which was eroded and rocky. Something caught the sunlight and Enid went to investigate. It was part of the sparkly hull of her ark. It wasn’t heavy so she picked it up. She tucked it under her arm while she walked. How far up the beach did the damage go? Enid left the beach. Her tree had withstood the storm and the fire untouched. She propped the glittery plank against it then climbed into its branches. If Boo were alive, she could easily survey the damage. Boo would help her make a decision. 

Zani offered her guests refreshments and invited them to take a seat. It was an awkward assembly. A’den was physically unhurt from his encounter with his foster sister but the encounter left him with little hope. 

“What now?” Picard asked Zani when she came back from talking with Enid. 

“We wait,” she said, “I have offered her sanctuary here for as long as she needs.” 

“That is kind,” Ni’ael said. 

Narek glanced at him, it was still difficult to tell if Ni’ael was being sardonic. He was seated on a cushion in an area he guessed would be where the nuns took their meals. Just for a moment he closed his eyes. When he opened them he intuitively put his arms out to steady himself. He was in a tree. Enid was on a branch near him. In the burnt out meadow below him he could see hundreds of shadows in a line that stretched to the horizon. 

“What are they?” he asked Enid.

“They came out of the ocean to help me defeat Rynar,” Enid said. 

“Romulans?” Narek did not take his eyes off the shadows. 

“Yes,” Enid studied Narek. He didn’t look well and she was worried. She had better get to the point. “I asked them if they knew my father.” 

“And?” Narek found this fascinating. 

“They did. At first they all wanted to tell me their story at once,” Enid shuddered, “I managed to get them to take turns but...There are so many of them.” She looked discouraged. 

Narek was impressed she managed to organize so many minds but listening to the individual stories of so many would take days or weeks depending on how long winded they were. “Can you have them maybe sort themselves into groups?” 

“To what end?” 

“You want to determine if you can trust your father,” Narek knew this was a gamble that could backfire but proceeded anyway, “Have them line up in categories, pros and cons.” What would he do if the cons outnumbered the pros? The shadows assembled shuffled and reassembled themselves back into one line. “What does that mean?” Narek held his chin, his index finger resting on his upper lip. 

“It means they wish me to go with my father,” she said, “It’s a powerful pull. They want me to do something for them.” Narek opened his eyes and rubbed between his brows. Ni’ael watched him with concern but Narek tilted his head and smiled. Ni’ael took that as a positive sign. 

Enid decided to take a walk but did not want to be followed. While she couldn't make herself invisible she knew how to cloak herself from other minds. She watched the assembled company and wished she hadn’t used the snakeleaf. Never again, would have such a chorus of minds. At some point Elnor and Narek started bickering. That would have been something to hear! 

Picard watched Enid as she observed the group. She was sitting on the garden fence outside the structure looking in through the open doorway. Given that no one reacted to her departure, Picard determined that she must be telepathically shielding herself. That would explain her talent for escapes. Even if she could hear synthetic minds, maybe she couldn’t manipulate them? This would explain how he could see her. He slowly made his way to the wall where she sat. He stood next to her and looked out to the mountains. 

“Are you planning to bolt again?” he mumbled. He didn’t want to blow her cover. Picard wanted her to trust him. 

“I was just regretting using the snakeleaf,” Enid answered dreamily, “The disparity in melodies is….Narek’s words take such,” she giggled, “mental gymnastics…”

Picard thought that as a gymnast, Enid would probably be attracted to that. 

“Then there is Elnor,” her eyes widened, “He has a righteous melody.”

“I suppose he would,” Picard agreed.

“The two men are so different.” She sighed.

“It would make an interesting ballet,” Picard suggested. He could imagine that.

“I’ll never have this opportunity again, “ she mused, “It seems a waste.” 

“Have you made a decision?” Picard felt that she had but couldn’t discern what conclusion she reached.

“I should have invited someone from the Orions,” she replied coyly. 

“That is not who you are,” Picard replied.

“Oh but I could be…” She would be a master thief but not an assassin. Enid regarded Picard soberly, “Papa loved me. I felt it as sure as I can feel my own heart beat but he hurt me and it wasn’t by accident. He used me.” Rynar had been brutal but the betrayal from the man who was supposed to be her father had been devastating, “I don’t understand.” Maybe this very old man with the synthetic brain could explain it? 

“Enid,” Picard replied with equal seriousness, “What you endured should have never been. Nothing can change that. I do know a good therapist though.” Enid would need comprehensive therapy to overcome being raised by the radical Vulcans. He was convinced she wouldn’t get this from the Romulans. 

“What kind of life would I have on Earth?” Enid asked, “I don’t belong there.” 

“Enid, you were raised by a group of radical Vulcans. If you leave with the Tal Shiar you will be choosing another group of radicals.” 

“You don’t understand the pull...” she said. 

“The supernova? The minds you absorbed?” Picard asked, “I’m sure the pull is strong. Give yourself some time though. Laris is a wise woman. She and Zaban can help you understand what you’d be choosing. Narek has a mission. They do not.” 

“I’ve made up my mind,” Enid said.

“You're not going to tell me, are you?” Enid shook her head. He reasoned there was a very good chance that she intended to go with the Romulans. She may have described Ni’ael as disturbing, but she had not expressed any fear of him. Narek did not appear to set off alarm bells for her either. In fact she seemed a bit infatuated with the dashing Tal Shiar officer. He had so many questions but felt the window was closing. After a long pause he asked, “Not all the problems at the mine were maintenance issues, did you have something to do with that?” 

“No!” This was a wholly unexpected question, “Rone’s father died in one of those accidents! No!” Picard apologized for the question. Her reaction ruled out any purposeful intent although he wasn’t sure if this was good news or not. 

“My offer stands,” he assured her, “No matter what decision you make today. I will give you sanctuary if you need it.” He rejoined the group. 

Enid’s appearance in the doorway startled the group. The men stood expectantly. “I will meet my father,” she announced. A’den accused Zani of coloring her decision towards the Romulans. Picard jumped to Zani’s defence arguing that the Qowat Milat was the sworn enemy of the Tal Shiar. Prompting Enid to question why any Romulan should be the sworn enemy of another given how reduced their numbers were now. 

“You are your father’s daughter,” Ni’ael observed.

“Enid, please reconsider,” A’den reached towards her face. Enid looked at him with horror but she knew it was a distraction. His other hand held a knife which he planted in her side. Her momentary awareness of his intent allowed her to move just enough so that he missed his intended mark but the wound was still serious. She staggered pulling the blade out to look at it. He lunged forward before his head dropped at her feet. As she fell Narek planned to scoop her up but his own wounds prevented him. They both fell. 

“They need to be in a sick bay,” the doctor said urgently. Fank took Enid and ran as smoothly as he could to the transport coordinates. Ni’ael and the doctor carried Narek between them. Worf sent five of his men and notified the Enterprise what was headed for them. 

“Elnor,” Worf turned to the young man, “Explain yourself!” Elnor had used, in Worf’s estimation, excessive force to subdue the Vulcan. Elnor turned A’den’s body over with his foot to reveal a disruptor. Having failed in inflicting a fatal wound with the knife he was going to finish the job with the disruptor. 

“If he had a disruptor,” Worf asked, “Why would he not just use that? Why the knife?”

Zani picked up the knife used in the attack. It looked ancient and ornate. She handed it to Picard. “This looks like a ceremonial blade,” he remarked. The radical order probably had rules for murder. A’den had been victimized by the same order that terrorized her foster sister and he was sorry that he had met this fate. Elnor had been the only one who had seen the events unfold and he had acted as conscience dictated. Picard only hoped Enid’s wounds were not fatal. 

on Enid while the Romulan doctor tended to Narek. He had developed an infection and was bleeding internally. When Dr. Mwanji stabilized Enid, the Romulan doctor called him over. He needed Dr. Wanji to monitor Narek’s condition while he repaired the damage to Narek’s liver. Enid sat up to watch. 

“You need to rest,” the EMH stated from behind her. 

“Deactivate EMH!” Enid called.

“Unable to comply, verbal authorizations have been suspended,” the computer responded, attracting attention from Dr. Mwanji. He hadn’t activated the holographic medic. 

“Computer who activated the EMH?” Dr. Mwanji asked.

“Unable to respond. Insufficient information on file,” the computer responded amicably. Dr. Mwanji watched in horror as the EMH circled its hands around Enid’s throat. The girl failed her arms and kicked her feet. 

“Security!” the doctor called, “Deactivate sick bay hollow emitters!” 

“Unable to isolate the medical hollow emitters,” security responded, “Shutting down all hollow emitters!” The ENH vanished releasing Enid who gasped for breath. Narek began to convulse. 

“Dr. Jurati to sick bay STAT!” Dr. Mwanji ordered as he examined Enid. She was breathing rapidly and her eyes were wide. The EMH crushed her windpipe. He tried to repair the damage but the girl was fighting him. He thought given the girl's recent history that a female doctor would have better luck, “Over here!” he called as Agnes entered the room. 

“Crushed windpipe!” Dr. Mwanji passed off Enid and returned to assisting the Romulan doctor with Narek’s deteriorating condition. 

“It’s ok sweetheart,” Anges took a page from Raffe’s book, “I just need you to hold still and I can fix this.” She tried not to think of the twisted heads of Klingons or Nausicaans. Agnes wasn’t quite motherly but Enid believed she wanted to help so she complied. 

“We’re losing him!” The Romulan doctor was annoyed. These humans and their artificial intelligence! 

Enid studied the shadows assembled below the tree. Surely there were some that could be helpful. Rone had been dead, she couldn’t reverse dead no matter how much she wanted to. Narek was hurt but it wasn’t a broken bone or simple gash. She didn’t know what to do. Several shadows swirled around Enid before shooting out from her body.

“You owe me,” Enid told Narek. 

“Double now,” he replied. It was just he and Enid in the sick bay. 

“I’m scared.”

“I will help you.” Narek assured her. 

“You’ve said that before,” Enid reminded him. Narek knew she was referring to the synthetic woman, Soji. 

“I actually thought that I was helping her.” He had thought it was better for Soji to be destroyed than to live with the truth that she wasn’t real. 

“You have a nimble morality, Mister Narek,” Enid told him. He gave her a self deprecating shrug. He knew this time was vastly different but there were no words what would convince Enid of that right now. She would just have to learn it for herself. 

Agnes saw the shadows leave Enid, zip about the sick bay, and hover over Narek. More shadows left Enid entering the walls and enveloping the room which was suddenly filled with blinding light. Narek’s condition improved. His vitals continued to strengthen. He was no longer in danger. For a moment Agnes thought she saw the shapes of Enid and Narek standing as if talking. She recounted her impressions to Rios aboard La Serina. The couple was getting ready for bed.

“I wouldn’t tell this to Elnor or Soji,” she told Cris pulling down the comforter, “but Narek is not a danger to Enid.” 

“All that power in the hands of the Tal Shiar?” Cris slipped into bed, “That could be very bad I think.” 

“You don’t believe all that stuff she said about thrones of skulls?” Agnes asked. 

“No,” Cris smiled, “That was bluster.” He couldn’t blame the young woman. He knew what it felt like to want to scare people off. Despite the synthetic heads and blood stained hair she still reminded him of a pissed off duck in her too large sandals. 

“Then?” Anges nestled in against his shoulder. Cris responded by placing his arm around her pulling her in close. 

“She’s a powder keg,” he shifted so his face rested above her’s, “But right now I want to talk about other things.” 

Ni’ael was also in the sick bay. He’d seen the same events that Agnes did. He concluded that Narek had bonded with Enid. Narek could be trusted. Ni’ael was going to bring his wife, her dear lost cousin. All was right in his world. 

La Serina left the Enterprise which continued on to rendezvous with a warbird. Plutarch had been alarmed at the report of the EMH attack on his daughter. The Romulans accused Soji of hijacking the EMH but the investigation revealed it to have been A’den. He had done it even before Enid escaped from the sick bay. Before she went to Vashti. Plutarch insisted on using Romulan transporters to convey the party to the Warbird and Captain Worf agreed. Three cloaked ships accompanied the Warbird in case there were other unforeseen events. The Enterprise likewise had a compliment of secret escorts. Fortunately, the transport went smoothly and the Romulans left without firing a shot.


End file.
